Strictly star admits they were ‘dosed up to the eyeballs’ on painkillers during final dance

Stefan Dennis has spoken about his final dance on Strictly Come Dancing, before he was forced to bow out of the BBC One ballroom show due to a leg injury.

The Neighbours star, 67, who is best known for playing the dastardly soap villain Paul Robinson, was forced to withdraw due to a serious calf muscle tear.

Dennis said that during his final dance with professional partner Dianne Buswell, he had been ‘dosed up to the eyeballs on painkillers’ after injuring himself during rehearsals.

He also spoke during a Thursday appearance on Good Morning Britain about how it was during that Charleston dance that the gig had finally clicked for him.

‘The problem was, by the time I got to the Charleston, which was the final dance I did, I got it,’ he told Kate Garraway and Richard Madeley in the ITV studio. 

‘I was petrified up until that point. Diane, who was absolutely sensational, she saw the transition, she saw it change.’

He added of the dance, which was his highest points-scorer with the judges: ‘It was really good and I really enjoyed it. I went, “Right, I’ve got this now.” 

‘Then on Monday morning, the doctor said, “No, you’re not, you’re out. Goodbye.” 

Dennis said he had torn his calf muscle ‘very, very badly’ and was told by the doctor that if he continued to compete on the show he would do ‘irreparable damage’.

The injury also meant he was unable to fly straight back to his native Australia for two weeks after he withdrew from the show, due to the risk of deep vein thrombosis.

‘I can’t tell you how devastated I am to have to leave so prematurely,’ Dennis said when he first announced he would not be continuing his Strictly journey.

‘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).’

He also threw in a tidbit for the Neighbours fans, noting that the leg he had injured was the same one as the artificial leg of his character Paul on the soap.

Later on his ITV appearance, Dennis shared exactly who he thinks could take home the Strictly win, having said he initially believed Lewis Cope would take it all the way.

But since the fellow soap actor became the latest to leave the show, he said: ‘My money’s on George [Clarke]. But it’s anybody’s game.’

Strictly Come Dancing returns this Saturday on BBC One.

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