3:44am Saturday 28th November 2009
© Press Association 2011
Strictly Come Dancing favourite Ricky Whittle will perform on the show after being released on bail by police investigating an alleged assault.
The Hollyoaks actor was questioned on suspicion of assault following the incident in Liverpool city centre.
He was later released on police bail and a BBC spokeswoman confirmed that Whittle would compete and "the show will continue as normal".
The actor walked into a police station in Merseyside four hours after the alleged incident which followed a Hollyoaks party at Liverpool bar Parr Street Studios.
It is understood that the 29-year-old, from Billinge, Greater Manchester, left the venue when the party finished and headed for his car at around 1.30am. It is alleged that, as Whittle drove off, his vehicle struck a photographer and left him with minor injuries.
Whittle's former Hollyoaks co-star Ali Bastian, now in The Bill, also hopes to return to the Strictly dancefloor despite suffering a foot injury during rehearsals on Monday with partner Brian Fortuna. The 26-year-old, who scored a perfect 40 from the judges for her Viennese waltz earlier in the series, is off her crutches and said in a statement that she would "give it my best shot" when she performs the Charleston.
Athlete Jade Johnson has already had to pull out of the competition due to a knee injury during the dress rehearsal two weeks ago and actress Laila Rouass once had to stop mid-dance because of a sprained ankle.
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