From what I am reading on the MF I don't think she has been given the green light for dancing

Not looked at her twitter page yet off to do that now.

It sounds from Laura's latest tweets like she isn't able to train yet.

Got to be honest, I think at this stage she should take the decision in to her own hands and withdraw. She needs to rest and relax and recover gradually, not be stressing about rushing back to training within a couple of days.

I'm not sure if it'd be wise for her to dance on Saturday as much as I would miss her in the competition. To risk permanent damage for a few more weeks of dancing just isn't worth it, even if the injury isn't as bad as we originally thought. It's obviously still not good.

I love her determination to get back out on the dancefloor and I would hate to see her leave the competition in such circumstances, especially when she loves the show so much. But I also think the backlash will be reasonably high this week and I wonder if she would be in the bottom two again. If that was the case, there would be little point in dancing and potentially hurting herself more. I know that's not in the spirit of things and I also suspect that the public would be a lot more accepting if it was another celebrity with an injury - but with Daisy most likely getting a vote bounce next week, guaranteed comedy performances from Judge Rinder & Ed and some very strong contenders with growing fanbases, I fear she could be in the DO anyway and that would make her return to the show so bitter.

It's such a shame, and for Gio too, but health comes first and I'd also hate to see more nasty comments towards her when people perceive her recovery 'miraculous' - evidently she is still hurt so it would be anything but.

I think its a Gio professional challenge to work around an injury safely, following the medical advice. Its a good thing that Laura is consulting a physio and clearly has been given professional guidance on what to attempt this week.

To put it another way, if a doctor told you that you were fit to go back to work on 'light duties', most of us would do exactly that.

It seems sensible to follow the guidance and then equally take it day-by-day without heroics. Best to see how the week develops.

Agree with everything you say paperdreams. I've felt so invested in their partnership and know how much Laura loves Strictly but it is just a Saturday night entertainment show. Her health comes first and to me there's no point prolonging an announcement if she's struggling, withdrawing now would be upsetting for her but also take the pressure off.

Not sure what I think is the best thing for Laura. Obviously she has to heed medical advice but if she does manage to dance on Saturday I do feel she will be in the dance off due to the way some people think - exaggerating her injury blah blah.

Then if she does have to withdraw she will be devastated and adding that to all the fuss made when she was partnered with Giovanni, I feel her Strictly experience will we tainted.

I think I forget that sometimes


I really do feel for her, and Giovanni too I wouldn't wish an injury on anyone, it's even worse when it's your favourite.

I get what you're saying LL and I'm not meaning to be overly negative, more pragmatic.

What does seem clear from everything Laura's said is that it's an at least fairly serious sprain, she's in a lot of pain, struggling and putting herself under pressure because she's desperate to get back. I'm just not sure that's for the best now. Laura's an active person and as she hadn't known about her weak ankle before Strictly her usual exercise obviously doesn't cause her problems. It therefore seems sensible to stop the dance training when the sprain has become so serious. Resting up initially and then gradually resuming her usual exercise will be good for it.

She missed the celeb/pro training day yesterday and isn't able to return yet. Gio trained with her last week clearly worried about the pain she was in and I know he's a pro and they're used to training with all sorts of injuries but I'm not sure it's fair to ask him to go through training his beginner celeb for a second week where she's in serious pain and struggling.

I don't think Laura is someone who would be happy to just make up the numbers on Saturday, she wants to compete and stay in. She's been suffering from this weak ankle since the beginning of the series and it isn't going to go away, sometimes you just have to accept limitations and circumstances however hard

I think lets wait and see how the week goes for them. She has taken medical advice today - clearly that has NOT been to pull out.

I am not a physio and not an orthopedic specialist so... not qualified to speculate really.

Its going to be a day by day thing.

Frankly, all ANY of the celebs have to do is trip over when putting the bins out etc and they could be in trouble.

I also don't mean to sound super pessimistic. You are right LL, what will be will be. I think more than anything (apart from her health, of course) I don't like seeing Laura getting really unfair, negative comments which this injury seems to be attracting more of. It's ridiculous, of course, anyone can see that she adores the show and probably would have hobbled through a jive on Saturday if she had her way!

I get very defensive of my favourites and sometimes that seems to transfer into negativity. We will see what happens.

Its the 'curse of the appreciator' I think. In the absence of information, keep adding 2+2+2+2....

Aha. Gio has bestirred himself and sent out a 'blowing kisses' emoji to Laura on Twitter. Phew. Hope he lies down in a darkened room to recover from that immense communication strain.

However, he has clearly sought to cheer her up as only a man can. Yes, by a near-shirtless selfie on Instagram. What a caring chap. Why send flowers... when you can send a manly Italian torso etc etc.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BL8-5jdj...ernicegiovann1

(I am sure they DO communicate - just in the normal way )

Laura has just tweeted 'We hope to be allowed to start training again tomorrow'

So that is fairly clear.

It tells me two things.
- Someone else (probably physio) tomorrow morning decides if she is fit to train.
- And someone today (again, physio probably) has said that she should be able to train tomorrow if her recovery continues.

Fingers crossed.

Good grief?! Are you suggesting that there might be other ways of communicating than social media? Surely it hasn't happened if it hasn't been tweeted, instagrammed or snapchatted

Seriously, keeping everything crossed for them.

Ali Bastian had a fairly serious ankle injury if I remember correctly and though she did dance on it they choreographed a Charleston that would not impact on it too much. She then got better and better so perhaps it's just a question of time.
It's not ideal though is it ... learning a routine with limited practice time. I hope we see Laura again but she has to do what's right for her.
I'm sad though that, for all sorts of reasons, this hasn't been a positive experience for her

No suggestion from me there wasn't plenty of communication between them, just I thought it might have been nice for Laura to include him in her public messages on Saturday, when she thanked her fellow celebs it came across as odd not to mention Gio! They have already struggled to establish their partnership, I've always said l see them as a strong partnership but many don't.

I'm on a different page so I'll sign out of the thread but I wish them well if they can return

Ochre please don't go you are the mainstay of the thread.

To lighten the mood - Gio's new look :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04cv8ng/p04cv506

Very fetching

Oh dear

Ochre - please don't leave the thread!

I think both Laura and Gio have had other things on their mind but they certainly have dropped the ball a on social media since Thursday. Your remarks are fair - there is a bit of gap around their team communications.

if Laura does end up leaving the show because of her ankle, then this happens to another celeb- that means we'll be down to a one person final!

I did notice that too. Not sure what is going on between them. He looked lost on Saturday night and his message to her was lovely. I think the silence between them is strange because normally the couples are a bit OTT with their praise and thanks for their partner

Can't wait to see them on ITT.

Aw I was only teasing about the social media stuff generally, and not anything that's been said here. You do have a point about the comms but I guess it's been a difficult time all round. Please don't stop posting! Hopefully we'll get a Glamour blog update soon

I had forgotten about Ali Bastian. Good point. And there was Laila Rouass as well with an ankle injury.

Its not ideal at all. But Gio and Laura are still on the show in Week 6. There is lots to Appreciate about that.

Yes there is. No doubt we will find out soon enough what is happening

Just in time to cheer us all up, this photo of Laura's leg...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BL9MCF1hxJd/

...with motivational (well hopeful) comment from Gio