Strictly Come Dancing’s Brendan Cole will miss rehearsals this week as he recovers from a chest infection.
The professional dancer and his celebrity partner Anastacia are due to perform a quickstep to Frank Sinatra’s My Kind Of Town this weekend.
Strictly dancer Gorka Marquez, who was voted out alongside Tameka Empson in week two, will take his place this week during rehearsals.
Brendan revealed the news to Zoe Ball while appearing on BBC Two spin-off show Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two.
He said: “I’ll let you in on a little secret, we have the lovely Gorka stepping in for me for a few days whilst I try and recover and beat this little chest infection. I don’t know how happy I am about it, he’s Spanish, he’s good looking, and he’s got a body that’s pretty much the best on the show.”
Following medical advice from his doctor, he has been advised to rest until the end of the week.
Asked by Zoe when he would be well enough to dance again he said: “I’ll see the doctor again. He said take off until Thursday/Friday at least, and then we’ll see.”
American singer Anastacia stressed the routine was still entirely his and that he had done all the choreography.
She said: “It’s still ‘Team Fab’. Brendan did the choreography, it’s still his whole routine.”
At the weekend Cole revealed he had to make an overnight visit to the hospital just hours before Saturday’s Strictly performance.
#NHS Doc's, Nurses & staff are phenomenal. Thank you for looking after me in the wee hours. Lung infection now under control so thank you 👏
— Brendan Cole (@BrendanCole) October 15, 2016
...had to take myself to A&E as I couldn't breath very well so not enough oxogen getting through. Incredible care, cannot thank enough #NHS
— Brendan Cole (@BrendanCole) October 15, 2016
...all fine for tonight though. Might just be a little coughing and spluttering during our rumba! #Strictly
— Brendan Cole (@BrendanCole) October 15, 2016
Anastacia has suffered her own injury during the series.
She tore scar tissue from a double mastectomy in 2013 during training and was forced to sit out the first dance-off which saw radio DJ Melvin Odoom sent home.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One on Saturday at 6:35pm.
