Strictly Come Dancing’s Susan Calman has promised that “nothing will stop” her competing on Saturday after suffering an injury to her knee.

The Scottish comedian, and fan favourite contestant, told how she was having an “issue” with the ligaments on her left knee, but vowed that she would not let it get in the way of the show on Saturday.

She caught up with presenter Zoe Ball on the BBC One contest’s spin-off show It Takes Two on Thursday and showed footage of herself in training this week with a bandaged knee.

She said: “I have had a slight injury to my knee, which has caused a bit of a problem. My ligaments are a bit of an issue, so I’m going to go back to the hotel and sit in an ice bath.

“But it’s okay because nothing is going to stop me from dancing on Strictly on Saturday. Literally nothing.”

Calman and partner Kevin Clifton delighted viewers last weekend with their Morecambe and Wise-inspired quickstep to Bring Me Sunshine – a song choice that had an especially personal meaning to the star.

Clifton said of the performance, which earned the pair a healthy score of 30 from the judges: “Susan suggested the song because it is a favourite if hers – it was the first dance at her wedding.”

This weekend, he said, they will be taking example from film character Bridget Jones with their Cha Cha to Little Mix hit, Shout Out To My Ex.

Calman joked: “The fusion of me and Little Mix is exactly what everyone has been waiting for”.

As well as injury, the pair’s rehearsals this week were marred by difficult weather that threatened to keep Clifton away from the studio. Calman’s fear of missing out on practice encouraged her to call for help over Twitter, kicking off the hashtag #SaveKevin and prompting fans to offer him a relay of lifts.

Ball was also joined on the BBC Two couch by judge Darcey Bussell, who said that she was enjoying finally having another woman on the panel, in the form of new head judge Shirley Ballas.

Ballas joined Bussell, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli this year following the departure of Len Goodman at the end of last year’s season.

“We are having a good little natter,” she said, and joked: “I didn’t even appreciate that I didn’t get my girly chat, because I didn’t have a girl – well, I had a couple.

“Now to be framed by the two boys and have a nice little chat in between things is so nice. We have a great time, we have fun.”