AJ Odudu: Presenter pulls out of Strictly Come Dancing live tour due to injury

AJ Odudu has pulled out of the Strictly Come Dancing live tour on medical advice, it has been announced.

She will be replaced by EastEnders star and 2020 Strictly finalist Maisie Smith, the BBC said.

"I'm devastated not to be able to take part in the Strictly tour due to injury," said Odudu.

"I had hoped for one last dance with Kai, but I must obviously follow the medical advice."

She added: "I wish my Strictly family the very best of luck on the road and I'll definitely be there to cheer them on."

Smith said that she was "thrilled" to be asked to step into her shoes and dance alongside Odudu's regular partner Kai Widdrington, while also wishing her a "speedy recovery".

In mid-December, ahead of the final, Odudu, 33, was on crutches and unable to train due to ligament damage.

She had hoped they would still be able to take part in the final in some way. "Hey, listen, even if Kai has to just carry me around that dancefloor, and I'll do some armography, we'll make it work," she told the BBC at the time.

Ultimately it was not to be, and the pair pulled out leaving another EastEnders star, Rose Ayling-Ellis, and TV chef and former Bake Off winner John Whaite to compete for the glitterball trophy.

Ayling-Ellis became the first deaf contestant to win the celebrity dancing competition.

She paid tribute to her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice after being named the winner, saying he "always had a piece of her heart".

Strictly's latest winners will rejoin the class of 2021, now minus Odudu, and their professional dance partners later this month for a series of live shows in arenas around the UK, starting in Birmingham on 20 January and culminating in London on 13 February.

The tour shows will be hosted by It Takes Two presenter and former Strictly professional Janette Manrara, and will feature a judging line-up of Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli.