Game of Thrones star withdraws from Strictly Come Dancing

Ian YoungsCulture reporterBBCKristian Nairn stated he’s having remedy and guaranteed followers “I am OK”Sport of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn has pulled out of this 12 months’s Strictly Come Dancing, simply days after the line-up was introduced, saying he is been combating “a excessive degree of stress and slightly little bit of grief”.Nairn, 49, is finest recognized for enjoying Hodor – the guileless servant of Home Stark – in HBO’s fantasy drama.He informed his Instagram followers that after the line-up announcement final week, his issues had “manifested bodily” for the primary time and had triggered “a spike in my vitals as an space of concern”.Actor Lewis Cope, finest recognized for enjoying Nicky Milligan in ITV’s Emmerdale, will substitute Nairn on this 12 months’s present. “I am so excited to be swapping the Dales for the dance flooring and becoming a member of this 12 months’s Strictly Come Dancing. I’ve at all times been a fan of the present and can’t wait to get began!” Cope stated in a press release. Cope has additionally appeared in TV reveals Vera, Mrs Sidhu Investigates and Hetty Feather. He additionally performed the lead function of Leonard Vole within the Olivier-nominated play, Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution.Emmerdale’s Lewis Cope is becoming a member of the solid of this 12 months’s Strictly Come DancingCope stated he discovered concerning the information of his late call-up whereas he was strolling down Oxford Road in London with a pal.”I bought the cellphone name, and it was like, proper we now have to do it,” he stated whereas showing on the BBC’s The One Present on Thursday. “If something, [joining the show late] has helped me as a result of I have not actually had time to consider it or something, so the joy has taken over and I am all in.” Medical checkSpeaking about his withdrawal in a video on Instagram on Thursday, Nairn stated: “I have been given an exquisite alternative to be a part of the Strictly Come Dancing household, as it’s possible you’ll know.””Sadly, I am having to withdraw from this 12 months’s present. There’s been such a response, I positively wish to share why. Like so many individuals on the minute, I have been coping with a excessive degree of stress and slightly little bit of grief, if I’ll be actually actual.”I’ve at all times been my mom’s son and I’ve at all times powered by issues like this up to now. I believe I’ve bought a fairly wholesome perspective in direction of stuff like this. Effectively, I assumed I did, not less than.”However for the primary time it is manifested bodily and has triggered a spike in my vitals as kind of an space of concern.”Nairn was revealed as a Strictly contestant on Gary Davies’s BBC Radio 2 present on FridayNairn can be recognized for enjoying Wee John Feeney within the US TV interval comedy drama Our Flag Means Demise, and is a home music DJ.Final Friday, the 6ft 10in Northern Irishman grew to become the fifteenth and closing contestant to be unveiled for this 12 months’s Strictly.Talking on Thursday, he continued: “I’m an enormous man, at all times have been, ever since I set foot on this Earth, so I take my well being very severely, and I do see my physician on a regular basis, and I used to be checked for the present two weeks earlier than [the announcement] and all the things was tremendous, so he was comfortable for me to participate.”Please know I am OK. I am underneath remedy already, and my physician is not involved. After two, possibly three weeks, I will be just about again to regular, however sadly… it isn’t going to be in time for all of the coaching and all the things like that.”He added: “I am gutted. I used to be actually trying ahead to collaborating on this.”‘Taking it simple’Nairn went on to say he had been “100% supported” by producers and others on the present.”I’ll be taking it simple for now, and I will be capable of return to work very shortly.”He added: “We dwell in unusual, loopy instances in the meanwhile. So with out being preachy, please take care of your self. Do not ignore what is going on on inside your head.”That is one thing I have not handled earlier than, so this has actually come as a shock for me. I at all times thought I had this.”He requested folks to not fear about him, saying: “I’ve completely bought this.”When his participation was introduced final Friday, he stated collaborating within the dance contest could be “an enormous problem for me bodily, however I am able to rise to it.”In a press release from the BBC on Thursday, his withdrawal was put right down to “sudden medical causes”.The present’s government producer Sarah James stated: “We have completely liked attending to know Kristian on this quick time, and he has all of the makings of an excellent Strictly Come Dancing contestant.”We’re extremely sorry to lose him from this 12 months’s sequence and all of us want him a speedy restoration.”The present, produced by BBC Studios, will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for its new sequence this September.