Greg Rutherford says he ‘gave himself a C-section’ after Dancing on Ice injury

The former Olympian shared gruesome details of accident that saw him quit show hours before the final

Dancing on Ice star Greg Rutherford has revealed the extent of the gruesome injury that forced him to quit the show hours before the final.

The 37-year-old Olympic long jumper was due to perform with Vanessa James in the final of the ITV competition, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern.

However, hours before the show was due to air, James posted a photo of the pair on Instagram, saying they were on their way to the hospital after Rutherford was injured during rehearsals.

“Unfortunately Greg has sustained a significant injury this morning at rehearsals and won’t be able to perform tonight,” she said.

“We are on our way to the hospital for Greg to get examined further and receive the treatment he needs.”

He has now revealed how horrific the accident really was in a series of posts on his Instagram stories.

The Olympian said he had lots of people asking him, “What happened?” but was now ready to address the incident.

“Long story short, I leapt through the legs of Brendyn and Colin and managed to tear all of my abs as well as herniate. So I effectively gave myself a C-section,” he shared.

The Olympian shared he’d ‘given himself a C-section’ (Instagram: @gregjrutherford)

“So yes, it was horribly painful. It needs to be operated on today and then I’ll be properly on the mend. It was very painful, pretty horrible.”

While on a walk with his fiancée, Susie Verrill, the athlete shared footage from the practice rehearsal that led him to quit the show.

He captioned the video with the words: “And here it is!” alongside a grimacing emoji.

Soap star Ryan Thomas and his ice skating partner Amani Fancy were crowned the winners of Dancing On Ice 2024.

Rutherford shared images of his accident on his Instagram stories (Instagram: @gregjrutherford)

Thomas dedicated his win to the injured and hospitalised Olympian saying: “Listen Greg, if you’re watching this at home, this trophy is for you mate.”

The former Coronation Street star faced tough competition from Made in Chelsea’s Miles Nazaire, who came in second place, and broadcaster Adele Roberts, who placed third, in ITV’s ice-skating contest.

At the time, Rutherford sent in a video taken while he was receiving medical attention.

“Hello, I know this looks very dramatic and everything else,” he said. “Sadly I picked up a big injury in rehearsals. I’m on my way to the hospital, so I will not be performing on Dancing on Ice. I am devastated but these things happen.”