Bill Nye, the Science Guy, hit social media yesterday to report that he suffered a potentially serious leg injury while performing Monday’s Paso Doble routine for the judges on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’
He posted a photo on Instagram that he captioned, “Here is the scoop: partially torn ligament. Awaiting the doc’s orders with Tyne. We plan to dance! Stand by…”
Injuries have prompted a handful of celebrities to quit the competition. Misty May-Treanor suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during Season 7 and Season 16 celeb Dorothy Hamill quit after being diagnosed with spinal nerve damage.
Near the end of Bill’s Paso with pro Tyne Stecklein during Week 2 of the competition, he appeared to stiffen in pain before crumpling to the floor. He got back on his feet and finished the last few moves of the routine, causing the audience to begin chanting, “Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill…”
The 57-year-old began his career as a mechanical engineer in Seattle at Boeing and later worked as a consultant in the aeronautics industry. He is best known as the host of the Disney-PBS children’s science show ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ circa 1993-1998.
Fun Fact: Bill is a self-proclaimed avid swing dancer, and has previously participated at the nationwide event Stompology in Rochester, NY.
We’ve included Nye’s Monday night performance video below – move the slider to 2:40 to see his slip and the audience reaction:
Photos: Facebook-DWTS, Instagram-Bill Nye