[Arneldo]

STRICTLY Come Dancing favourite Mark Ramprakash could crash out of the contest — after partner Karen Hardy injured her knee during rehearsals.

Karen, 29, caught her heel in her trousers and smashed to the ground unable to move as she practised for tonight’s semi-final.

Mark, who was taking a break, heard her scream and dashed into the studio. He tended her badly swollen leg with an ice pack.

Last night the 37-year-old cricketer admitted it could dash their hopes of winning the BBC1 show.

He said: “I am very worried.Unfortunately she fell heavily on her knee. When I saw, it crossed my mind that it could be the end.

“But she’s a fighter and competitor. We’ll see how it affects her.”



Stricken come dancing ... cameras capture moment
Karen catches her foot, slips and crashes on knee


Show bosses were last night making emergency plans in case Karen is in too much pain.

An insider said: “There is a bit of a panic. If a couple pull out at this stage it would be a disaster.

“We have been discussing what to do if the worst happens.

“It could be that Mark has to dance with a different partner — but to change at the eleventh hour would be near impossible.We’re all just praying that Karen feels OK.”

Karen — a former international dance champion — caught her foot as she rehearsed steps for this week’s Argentinian Tango.

The Latin American specialist, who is now a dance teacher, had not performed it before and had been anxious to get her moves up to scratch.

She said: “I couldn’t get my foot out. I just kept falling.

“I hit a bone — it was full weight. I’m going to have a cracking bruise there.

“But I’m hoping it’s shock more than anything.”

The Sun