(ANSA) - Diego Maradona's surprising dancefloor prowess will be sorely missed in coming weeks as one of Italy's hit television programmes is forced to continue without his fancy footwork.
The Argentinian soccer legend has abandoned the Dancing With the Stars show after only four weeks, leaving a troupe of lesser stars to entertain audiences with their attempts at the tango and foxtrot.
Maradona, who had radical weight-loss surgery earlier this years, was ordered by his doctors to quit the show after the stress of the weekly flights to Rome - on top of hectic dance training - began to take their toll. "I'd got a point where I was pushing myself too hard," he told shocked TV viewers during a live link-up from Buenos Aires during last week's programme. "I lost 53 kilos after the operation. I argued with the doctors so they would let me come but they wouldn't," he continued. "I apologise to Italian TV viewers."
Dancing With the Stars involves celebrities being taught how to dance by professional partners. Every week the couples perform and one pair is eliminated after votes by a studio jury and the public. The show was doing well for state broadcaster RAI, which broadcast it on Saturday nights on its flagship channel. Over six million Italians watched the last programme and heard Maradona make his excuses.
Now that the stocky Argentinian has gone the show has lost by far its biggest star and it remains to be seen how this will affect viewing figures. As they reported the news this weekend, newspapers
pointed out that it was hardly surprising. Maradona's rebirth as a TV star has been lucrative but it has also given rise to an exhausting weekly timetable.
Besides the weekly show in Italy, he also hosts a weekly programme on Argentinian TV. On top of that he is technical director at his old soccer club, Boca Juniors, and frequently travels to their away matches across South America.
There is a slim chance that the 'pibe de oro' might return to the show in a few weeks. The rules of the televised contest allow one of the eliminated couples to come back in the in the latter stages, as a sort of 'best of the losers'. But Maradona gave no indication in his televised apology that this was on the cards, giving the impression that it was all in the hands of hard-hearted doctors.
The former soccer genius has had two heart attacks in the last six years, partly the result of the weight he put on in recent years. He has also had serious drugs problems. although he says he has kicked a cocaine habit. Appearing on Italian television was part of his rebirth as a public figure after years in drug rehab clinics and hospitals. He appeared lively, involved and happy during his
appearances.
The star seemed to win the hearts of his fellow contestants, especially dance partner Angela Panico. She was quoted as saying: "He is a great dancer, especially with the tango. He's got rhythm."
