DIY SOS star Nick Knowles, 62, has had a tough few months after suffering a serious knee injury during rehearsals for Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing’s Nick Knowles has been forced to learn how to walk again after suffering a bad injury during rehearsals. The 62-year-old DIY SOS star, who was partnered with professional dancer Luba Mushtuk on the hit BBC show, temporarily withdrew from the competition after landing badly on his knee.
It was soon revealed that he’d torn his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) – a key tissue that helps stabilise the knee joint. This can take up to a year to recover from, and Nick has now issued an update on his progress.
In a video posted on Instagram, he can be seen being assisted up the stairs by a healthcare worker, his leg heavily bandaged and supported by a large brace.
Alongside the clip, he penned: “[So] it wasn’t on my letter to Santa for two major operations – one to reattach my bicep and a second to build a new ACL and mend two tears in the meniscus. Thank you to my two magnificently talented surgeons – Mr Ahrens for the bicep and Mr Jig Patel for the knee.
“Three types of knee brace and one type of elbow brace – crutches – game ready ice and pressure machine – pressure leggings – physio stretching out [for] months ahead but I want to be walking normally by start of February for the next DIY SOS. Katie my fiancée has been patient and supportive and amazingly patient with me – the worst patient in the world.
“It’s been frustrating and very expensive but I’m determined to get back to 100% fitness which I hope will be around August 2025. Thanks for all the well wishes and encouragement – happy new year all.”
After sustaining a knee injury in October, Nick became the third celebrity to be voted out of the competition. He admitted that he initially downplayed the severity of his injury until his departure.
According to the Mirror, he said on BBC Radio Wales: “I was trying to play it down, because I was determined to go out dancing rather than sort of go out with the injury… I had the operation four weeks ago and that’s all recovering quite nicely.”
Throughout his recovery, Nick’s fiancée Katie Dadzie has been a constant source of support. The couple, who got engaged in 2023 after their children played matchmaker, are excitedly planning their wedding for the following year.
Nick has spoken about how the aspiration to dance at their wedding is fuelling his recovery efforts. “We’ve booked our wedding for next summer and the plan is for us to be able to do a first dance,” he previously shared. “It won’t be a full Strictly routine but I’m determined to have a special dance with Katie.”