Having a Ball! Lithuanian dancer Iveta Lukosiute steps in to replace crocked Aliona Vilani with TV presenter Johnny
By EMILY SHERIDAN and LOUISE SAUNDERS
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And now BBC bosses have found a new professional partner for Strictly Come Dancing contestant Johnny Ball - Lithuanian-born dance champ Iveta Lukosiute.
The 32-year-old blonde will be a temporary partner for the veteran TV presenter, 74, as Aliona recovers from a hairline fracture on her ankle.
Glamorous: Lithuanian-born dance champ Iveta Lukosiute will partner Johnny Ball on Strictly Come Dancing
Iveta, who has appeared on So You Think You Can Dance in the US, will dance with Johnny for potentially up to four weeks.
She will perform with Johnny for the first time when the new series kicks off on BBC1 on October 5.
Iveta admitted she was in rainy New York when she received the call from producers, saying: 'I only saw the sunshine after I got the phone call from the BBC.
'Dance is my life and there no greater pleasure than sharing that passion with the rest of the world.
'I am super excited to come to the UK and join the Strictly Come Dancing Team.'
Shame: Johnny will have to wait a few weeks to dance with Aliona again
Sexy: Iveta is sure to set temperatures rising on Strictly
Having grown up in Lithuanian and spent the past few years living Stateside, she admitted she had to find out about Johnny on the internet.
She enthused: 'When I found out that I will be dancing with Johnny Ball, I looked him up online. What an extraordinary person he is. Smart, talented, enthusiastic, accomplished, successful. I truly can't wait to meet him! I'm sure we are going to have the most amazing time while practising and I am really looking forward to our first rehearsal, what an amazing experience it will be.'
Aliona, who won Strictly Come Dancing last year with McFly's Harry Judd, posted a series of pictures on her Twitter page last week, and explained she had suffered a hairline fracture to her ankle, leaving her on crutches.
Out of action: Aliona Vilani has suffered a hairline fracture to her ankle
She said: 'Having an x-ray in the hospital...and the verdict is...it's a hairline fracture on the right ankle bone...
'Tweeting from my sick bed...but don't worry I'm being a good patient. Was given a BOOT and CRUTCHES...my first time ever for both.
'Thank you all so much for you amazing messages of support!!!! I'm sure I'll recovery soon lots of love!!!!'
And while the star is hopeful to recover soon, she will be out of the competition for the next 'two to four weeks'.
'Tweeting from my hospital bed': Aliona is expected to be out of action for the next two to four weeks, meaning she will miss the first Strictly Come Dancing live show
A statement on the Strictly Come Dancing website on Friday said: 'Aliona suffered a hairline fracture to her ankle today while training with partner Johnny Ball.
'[That is] putting her prospects for dancing in the first Strictly live show on October 5 on hold.
'Initial prognosis suggests our plucky pro-dancer may be out of action for the next two to four weeks, but a further appointment tomorrow will confirm her condition.'
Strictly Come Dancing returns to screens on October 5.
Gruesome: Aliona posted a series of pictures of her injury on to her Twitter page
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2210667/Strictly-Come-Dancing-Iveta-Lukosiute-steps-replace-crocked-Aliona-Vilani-TV-presenter-Johnny-Ball.html#ixzz27wgoGoG9
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