Nigel Harman has withdrawn from Strictly Come Dancing after sustaining a rib injury just hours before the quarter-finals of the competition.

The Casualty actor, 50, had been due to compete with a Charleston to Step In Time from Disney’s Mary Poppins with his partner, Katya Jones, on Saturday night.

Harman’s departure leaves just four celebrities in the competition – the actor Ellie Leach, tennis star Annabel Croft, theatre and TV star Layton Williams and EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier.

A BBC spokesperson said: “Unfortunately Nigel has sustained an injury which means he is unable to perform in tonight’s show and has had to withdraw from Strictly.”

A post on the show’s Instagram page wished Harman a speedy recovery and said the couple would be “very much missed by our entire Strictly family”.

The BBC confirmed that Harman had suffered a rib injury after initial reports suggested that the former EastEnders actor had injured his leg.

The broadcaster has not said whether an elimination will still take place on tonight’s show. “It’s a live situation and the logistical details will be revealed on the show this evening,” a BBC spokesperson said.

Last Saturday, Harman danced the rumba to It’s All Coming Back To Me Now by Celine Dion, scoring 33 points.

Anton Du Beke called the performance “super duper” but said Harman tried to dance with Jones, instead of letting her perform around him.

Harman is not the first celebrity to quit Strictly this year. In October, actor Amanda Abbington withdrew from the show after missing a week on medical grounds. She later cited personal reasons for her exit.