Cliff Notes – Stefan Dennis heartbroken after being ‘banned’ from returning to Australia following Strictly exit
- Stefan Dennis, 66, has withdrawn from Strictly Come Dancing due to a serious calf injury, preventing him from flying home to Australia for at least two weeks.
- The actor expressed feelings of disappointment and guilt over his early exit, stating he wished to leave the competition on a better note, rather than due to injury.
- Despite his setback, Dennis remains grateful for the support from fans and his partner Dianne Buswell, while ruling out a return to the show next year.
Stefan Dennis heartbroken after being ‘banned’ from returning to Australia following Strictly exit
Stefan Dennis has been dealt a blow to his homecoming plans after Strictly exit (Picture: BBC)
Stefan Dennis cannot fly home to Australia until next month, after he was forced to withdraw from Strictly Come Dancing due to a serious calf injury.
The soap legend, 66, best known for playing the iconic villain Paul Robinson on Neighbours, revealed that he tore his calf muscle on Saturday, a setback severe enough to take him out of the competition for good.
Now, in a new interview, the star. who was paired with pro Dianne Buswell, has shared the major setback to his homecoming plans with medical advice preventing him from reuniting with his wife of 25 years, Fail Easdale.
‘I can’t fly for another two weeks because of the risk of deep vein thrombosis, which my wife is pretty upset about. I just feel like I’ve let everyone down.
‘They all say I haven’t, of course, and the pros know all about injuries, but it feels like a shame to go out in this way. It was all going so well.
Get personalised updates on Strictly
‘When you go out, you want it to be because the viewers have spoken, because it’s your time, not like this,’ he told The Mirror.
He feels he has let his wife, Gail, down (Picture: Sam Tabone/WireImage)
As for whether he’ll return next year to make up for his early departure like fellow injured dancer Dani Dyer, he has ruled it out.
While attending the Pride of Britain awards last night, he shared that he’ll be ‘back at the end of the year, for the final.’
Then added to The Sun: ‘I’ve done too much to come back and try again next year.’
He also thanked fans for their support shortly after Buswell took to Instagram to slam certain followers for sharing false claims they had pulled out due to her pregnancy.
‘This morning I woke up to the most disappointing day of my Strictly journey,’ a statement from Dennis, read on It Takes Two on Monday night, stated.
Stefan has become a fan favourite on the show (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)
‘Just when I had finally gained the confidence to do well with my dancing in the comp and achieve more great dances along the way, I was told that on Saturday I had torn my calf so significantly that I am now forced to withdraw from the show.’
Dennis had been competing alongside professional dancer Dianne Buswell, whose warmth and humour proved a perfect match for the actor’s self-deprecating wit.
Together, they’d become audience favourites for their chemistry and for Dennis’s unexpected growth on the dance floor.
Dianne Buswell took to Instagram to share how much her time with Dennis meant to her (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)
‘I can’t tell you how devastated I am to have to leave so prematurely,’ he continued.
‘There has been, and still is, so much love and support from everyone for both Dianne and myself. I owe both the Strictly family and Dianne a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife. (When my leg is better).’
Ever the joker, Dennis added a note that will make Neighbours fans smile: ‘Fun fact for all the avid Neighbours fans… it’s the same leg! 😂’
The news comes after Stefan and Dianne were forced to pull out of the live show on Saturday night last week after he was advised by doctors to rest following a brief illness.
Their statement at the time clarified: ‘In line with the rule of Strictly, Stefan and Dianne will receive a bye through to next week’.
The official BBC Strictly Instagram account shared the news at the time, writing: ‘Due to illness over the past few days, Stefan Dennis has been advised by doctors to rest and, as a result, he will not dance this weekend.’
After recording a special message for It Takes Two announcing their return to the show, the pair confirmed they were training for the next show on Saturday.
They then went on to give a great performance Saturday night, performing a Charleston to Dance Monkey by Tones and I – a memorable dance that would prove to be their last.
They were awarded their highest score of 26 as they hugged eachother and cheered with excitement, even as Dennis would later learn he had torn his calf during the dance.
Strictly Executive Producer Sarah James praised Dennis’s energy and positivity throughout the competition, saying, according to the BBC, ‘We’ve adored having Stefan on Strictly Come Dancing, and are heartbroken that his journey — and his fantastic partnership with Dianne Buswell — has been cut short.
‘It’s been a joy to see him embrace the series with such enthusiasm and we really hope that, once better, he will keep dancing.’
His partner Buswell took to Instagram moments after the announcement to write a heartfelt tribute to her partner and his time on the show.
The caption read:’🥹❤️ stefo I’m so sorry our strictly journey was cut short just as that confidence was starting to grow. But you can walk away with your head held high. You can go home to your wonderful wife put your hand out and say would you like to cha cha cha with me 🥹
‘the main reason for being on this show was to be able to dance with her and you can certainly do that now. You are the kindest human I have ever worked with and I can always say I got to dance with the iconic neighbours legend Stefan Dennis or as my dad calls ya Paul Robertson ❤️ Can’t wait for you to send me the video of you and Gail dancing together 🥹❤️🙏’
Dennis joined this year’s lineup as one of the most high-profile signings, bringing with him decades of screen experience and a devoted international fanbase.
Strictly Come Dancing returns this Saturday on BBC One.
A version of this article was first published on October 20, 2025.
Comment now
Comments
Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google
Add as preferred source
