So according to The Sun......she was advised not to dance by her doctors:

Anastacia said: "I danced on Saturday even though the doctor had advised me to rest after I ripped the scar tissue around where I had my double mastectomy.

"After that I was unable to dance again and I was devastated that I couldn't take part in the dance off.

"I am so very sad to see Melvin and Janette go, they are the most the most wonderful pair and I will miss Melvin's unique spirit and beautiful smile."

So she could have had a bye and Melvin and another couple (Naga, most probs) would have DO.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbi...orm-dance-off/

Yes, diva because she acted against her doctor's advice and then allegedly manipulated the situation to avoid having to compete in the dance off.

Diva because she refuses to face the consequences of her own choices and expects others (the producers) to accommodate her at the expense of others (Melvin and Janette).

There's a poll in one of the Red Tops and it's 82% think wrong decision was made

Well said, Holly Berry. I hate that this has happened because I am a great fan of hers and even more of Brendan's.

I definitely don't want her to do that. That's a big reason why I think that the only thing to do, would have been to withdraw from the contest. I'm struggling to see how she is going to be able to practice a new routine and perform it in a matter of days, as this injury has clearly had a major impact on her both physically and emotionally.

The dance off cancellation was presumably designed for couples who get injured in the main show, perhaps being taken to hospital to check for concussion say, and could be eliminated due to a medical problem that might be temporary. It stops couples from wanting to compete when they should be seeing a doctor instead. From a producers point of view this is a very safe thing to do. It's very brave to force injured people to dance.

Anastasia wasn't declared the winner because she couldn't dance. Melvin was eliminated because the dance off was cancelled and when that happens the celeb with the lower public vote gets eliminated (by the rules seemingly).

The Sun...the bastion of truth and honesty (where's the eye-rolling smiley when you need it).

She would have to have been medically cleared to dance on Saturday - the BBC wouldn't have let her on the floor otherwise, as they'd have been petrified of any potential legal consequences if she injured herself further!

After Hillsborough how can anyone trust a word that filthy rag (The Sun) says?

So Anastacia is lying then...
Anastacia said: "I danced on Saturday even though the doctor had advised me to rest after I ripped the scar tissue around where I had my double mastectomy.

It was her decision.

Hear hear !

That is a very interesting point. I cannot imagine the Health and Safety people at the Beeb would have let her anywhere near a dance floor if her doctor had advised against it.

This ^^^^

We've already done that.

Two of us have already suggested that the BBC are so desperate to have "big names" in their line-up (very hard to find them these days) that they may have accepted her or her doctor's word that she was fit enough to compete. Rather than have an independent assessment done having pre-knowledge that she'd had a double mastectomy.

This is very surprising after the "scare" with Jimmy Tarbuck. But that was ten years and probably a few producers ago. Ratings are the driving force and could have clouded judgement on this occasion.

Oh how I love the passive aggressive smiley!

She obviously thought she could get through it. Some people decide to go that extra mile for personal reasons, had she known how painful it would be I am sure she wouldn't have. The doctor told me not to drink on antibiotics but hell I did anyway!

Fact is I doubt Melvin would have lasted as nice as he is whereas she does have way more charisma so on a selfish level I am happy to see her dance again if she can.

BTW there is another report that she was told she must not do the dance off. That is in reality probably as true as The Mirrors version. But there we go.

Didn't she have her surgery a couple of years ago? I would have thought by now her scarring should have healed.

The BBC may have a problem on their hands. Just took a look at the message board on the SCD site and there is a positive torrent of disagreement about the decision. I also think Anastacia has done herself no good at all and the viewers will exact revenge next week. She should have stood down graciously. Either way, from her PR perspective, she would be wise to retire.

I don't think it's fair or decent to excuse Anastacia on the grounds that Melvin wouldn't win anyway.

That doesn't matter, he was enjoying himself and should have the same respect as a competitor. After all Anastacia is also not that great. In fact I don't think she has as much potential even.

And she'll probably have to withdraw anyway - and should have done already rather than let Melvin get shafted. It's not his fault she's injured.

Scars don't heal in the way you mean. It knits together so that it is not an open wound but scar tissue is fibrous and inelastic. It doesn't behave like normal tissue, which will stretch. If forced, scar tissue will simply split. Her skin may have remained intact but the underlying layers may not have.

Hope that sort of makes sense.

Absolute rubbish - it's done, get over it!

It's certainly done. But people will remember how graceless and unfair it was.

For a while anyway.

I have to disagree because I found her far more watchable on the dance floor despite her poor technique.

It isn't disrespectful to not bow out, she has every right to wish to remain as much as anyone and possibly didn't do the dance off on orders. I am sure she didn't think her injury would hurt to that level prior to dancing, who would?

And actually using the public vote is the fairest of all, hardly a shafting.

Graceless? You have no idea, nor do I, whether it was graceless or not. It wasn't unfair either.

Sorry it was graceless and embarrassing.

If she couldn't dance she should have withdrawn. That would have been the sensible, adult and fair decision.

Everyone faces the dance off, she's not too special for that - so all that 'the public decided' makes no odds to me.

If she's that torn, she shouldn't be dancing at all and she needs to recognise that, not be 'brave' at other's expense.

Speak for yourself.

I was. Obviously.


Interestingly (to me), I used to add an 'IMO' to posts and then realised, well of course, it's my opinion only as I'm writing the damn thing!