Nick Knowles reveals if he’ll return to Strictly this year after he’s forced to pay his own surgery bills after injury
NICK Knowles has revealed whether he'll return to Strictly Come Dancing - after shelling out thousands on treatment for his knee injury.
The DIY SOS host, 62, tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a rehearsal while participating in Strictly last year.
It led to him and pro partner Luba Mushtuk, 35, briefly pulling out before later being voted off.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Nick addressed possibly making a comeback to the BBC show.
He shared: "I don't think anybody goes back. Well, I think some of them do a Christmas special and then go again the following year.
"Because you had an injury, it's a bit different. I did, but I was still four weeks into it.
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"And so I think I've done the stint that I did. I would have liked to have continued longer, obviously, because I was really enjoying it.
"But unfortunately, once you have the knee injury, it's going to be about eight months before it's fully 100% again.
"So, no, I think I'll go back to doing less dangerous things like climbing mountains and riding motorbikes and playing polo."
Meanwhile, Nick revealed he is "still recovering" and is a "few months" off before doing anything active.
He previously shared pictures and videos of himself in a brace with crutches.
Nick said at the time: “Thank you for all the amazing messages. To answer a few questions . . . the brace helps keep it stable as I recover.
“No, Strictly insurance did not cover the operations. I paid for them myself but I’m hoping they will help with rehab.”
Nick confirmed that despite the setback, he didn't regret doing Strictly and also reflected on other past injuries in his life.
He said: "I mean, I've fallen off a truck in Africa, had a big operation...
"I've had various accidents over the years, coming off motorbikes and all kinds of things.
"So, you take what happens along the way and all the various injuries and scars, everything that I sort of ached when I wake up in the morning, I consider as sort of badges of honour for having lived a life less ordinary.
"You don't go into things and then regret doing it afterwards, so I don't regret it at all."
He added: "It was actually, it was enormous fun. I would have liked to have lasted longer, but no, I never regret any decisions I've made to take part in things now."
Strictly 2024 pairings
Here's who is matched with who this series...
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
JB Gill and Amy Dowden MBE
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
Elsewhere, the TV star revealed what happened after he fell off a truck during a 2007 trip to Africa.
Nick revealed: "I had to have a rebuilt shoulder and hip and all kinds of bits and pieces.
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"The trouble is, if you do stupid things, if you do super active things when you're 62 years old, there's always a chance you're going to do yourself an injury. So, it's all good."
Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One and iPlayer.