Strictly Come Dancing fans expressed concern for dancer Nancy Xu when she was spotted bleeding from her head after her inaugural dance of the new series.
Xu is partnered with celebrity contestant Les Dennis for the 21st series of the popular BBC dance competition.
During the week one episode on Saturday (23 September), Dennis and Xu danced a tango to “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League.
While the duo ultimately ended up with the lowest point total of the evening, their dance drew positive words from judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton DuBeke and Shirley Ballas.
As they were stood listening to the judges’ verdicts, Xu could be seen bleeding from her left ear.
After a while, she is seen addressing the wound, dabbing it with what appeared to be cotton wool.
After the broadcast, viewers expressed concern for Xu on social media.
“What happened to Nancy? Looks like her neck is bleeding,” one viewer wrote on X/Twitter.
“Nancy is bleeding! Poor Nancy!” another fan wrote.
“Is Nancy ok, she seemed to be holding cotton wool to her neck off camera in Claudia’s area and she moved it quick when she was on screen and she seemed to have blood on her neck?” someone else remarked.
Les Dennis and an injured Nancy Xu on ‘Strictly'— (BBC)
Dennis and Xu’s dance wasn’t the only incident of note during the series premiere.
Angela Rippon, the veteran newsreader who is now the oldest contestant to ever compete on Strictly, stunned viewers and the judging panel with an age-defying performance, culminating with an acrobatic high kick.
The former BBC News presenter danced the Cha Cha to “Get the Party Started” by Shirley Bassey, alongside pro partner Kai Widdrington.
Her performance drew a standing ovations from the judges, with Horwood branding it “jaw-dropping”.
Rippon ultimately finished the evening in joint second place, behind actor Nigel Harman, whose paso doble to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana saw him emerge as the series’ early frontrunner.
You can find the full leaderboard as it stands here.
The episode also featured an emotional dance from soap actor Bobby Brazier, whose father, presenter Jeff Brazier, was in attendance.
Partnered with Dianne Buswell, Brazier, who is also the son of the late reality star Jade Goody, danced a foxtrot to “All About You” by McFly, reducing his father to tears in the crowd.
Strictly Come Dancing’s live shows air on Saturday nights on BBC One.
