The actor and DJ Kristian Nairn has withdrawn from the new series of Strictly Come Dancing for medical reasons, the BBC has announced.
Nairn, 49, was initially named among the 15 celebrities taking part in this year’s show. The BBC said another contestant would be drafted in to replace him.
“With a heavy heart, I have to step back from this season of Strictly Come Dancing due to unexpected medical reasons,” Nairn said. “I was truly looking forward to the journey, and I’m deeply sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to seeing me on the dancefloor. Thank you all for your support, and I will be back on my feet very soon, in every sense.”
The actor became known for playing the laconic Hodor in the long-running TV series Game of Thrones. Asked at the height of the show’s fame if he ever got sick of being asked to repeat “Hodor” – the single line he delivered over and over – he said: “This is what I always tell people and it’s 100% true: 10 times more people ask me if I’m sick of being asked to say Hodor than actually ask me to say Hodor. It’s really weird, like a paradox.”
In 2015, while still appearing on Game of Thrones, he released his debut single, a house track named Up (Club Mix) featuring Leanne Robinson, and embarked on a three-month tour across the US and UK.
On Thursday, Strictly’s executive producer at BBC Studios, Sarah James, said: “We’ve absolutely loved getting to know Kristian in this short time, and he has all the makings of a brilliant Strictly Come Dancing contestant. We’re incredibly sorry to lose him from this year’s series and we all wish him a speedy recovery.”
The new celebrity joining Strictly would be announced on the One Show on Thursday, the broadcaster said.