‘Game of Thrones’ actor Kristian Nairn withdraws from ‘Strictly Come Dancing’

Actor Kristian Nairn, best known for playing Hodor in ‘Game of Thrones,’ has dropped out of ‘Strictly Come Dancing.’

According to UK media outlets, the actor withdrew from the UK competition series due to medical reasons.

“With a heavy heart, I have to step back from this season of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ due to unexpected medical reasons,” BBC quoted Kristian Nairn as saying.

“I was truly looking forward to the journey, and I’m deeply sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to seeing me on the dance floor,” he continued.

Without specifying the medical reasons, the ‘Game of Thrones’ actor asserted that he would soon get back on his “feet very soon, in every sense”.

It is worth mentioning here that Kristian Nairn was the final contestant of the upcoming ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ lineup.

Read more: ‘Game of Thrones’ star Sophie Turner makes a shocking confession about the show

Standing at 6 feet10 inches, the ‘Game of Thrones’ actor had acknowledged in an earlier interview that the competition would be a huge challenge for him physically.

However, he remained confident of his chances, saying, “I’m ready to rise to it.”

Reacting to his withdrawal from the show, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ executive producer Sarah James said, “We’ve absolutely loved getting to know Kristian in this short time, and he has all the makings of a brilliant ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ contestant. We’re incredibly sorry to lose him from this year’s series and we all wish him a speedy recovery.”

Meanwhile, the makers of the show are likely to name a replacement for Kristian Nairn later today.

The upcoming season of the competition series is scheduled to stream on BBC one and iPlayer on September 20.