Jessica King withdraws from 'Dance,' Comfort Fedoke returning

Jessica King's standing as a So You Think You Can Dance Top 10 fourth-season finalist was short-lived.


Fox has announced the 23-year-old contemporary dancer from Myrtle Beach, SC has been forced to withdraw from So You Think You Can Dance's fourth season due to an undisclosed injury. 

King will be replaced by Comfort Fedoke, who had been eliminated from the competition at the conclusion of last Thursday night's live results show.

"I would like to say how sorry I am that Jessica cannot continue dancing in the competition at the advice of her doctor. Her full recovery is paramount and will only come with rest," So You Think You Can Dance executive producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe said in a statement.  "We are fortunate that Comfort has agreed to rejoin the competition and know that under the circumstances she has Jessica's full support."

During a Monday appearance at a Television Critics Association session for So You Think You Can Dance, Lythgoe declined to provide additional clarification on King's injury -- including the nature of it or when it happened -- when questioned by reporters.


"I'm afraid I can't be specific about the injury," said Lythgoe, zap2it.com reported.

In addition, Lythgoe said it would take "up to five weeks" for the injury to heal and promised that King herself would provide more information during a future So You Think You Can Dance broadcast, according to zap2it.com.

King and her partner Will Wingfield had found themselves among the bottom three vote getters during last Thursday night's results show, only to see themselves both be saved by the three judges -- Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and Mia Michaels. 

While Lythgoe had explained the judges had "often been disappointed" with King's performances, he added that in "at least one routine every week, you've been absolutely stunning."  For that reason, King was saved and Fedoke was booted.

Now Fedoke is back and -- prior to So You Think You Can Dance's two-hour performance episode on Wednesday at 8PM ET/PT -- she'll receive a new partner for the third time this season.


However she won't be at too large of a disadvantage, as each of her fellow Top 10 fourth-season finalists -- Joshua Allen, Twitch Boss, Courtney Galiano, Chelsie Hightower, Mark Kanemura, Gev Manoukian, Kherington Payne, Katee Shean and Wingfield -- will all be paired with new dance partners and perform as new couples.

Then on Thursday at 9PM ET/PT, two more dancers will be eliminated based on home viewer votes cast immediately after Wednesday night's broadcast, revealing the Top 8.






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio