JB Gill praises Amy Dowden's support as he reaches Strictly Come Dancing final

Strictly Come Dancing contestant JB Gill has revealed that his former dance partner Amy Dowden is "over the moon" after he made it to the series grand final. Dowden, a 34 year old Welsh professional, had to leave the competition in early November due to an injury, following her return to the show after undergoing breast cancer treatment.

Since then, Gill, a 38 year old JLS singer, has been partnered with Lauren Oakley. The pair topped the judges' leaderboard at the weekend with their impressive performances, including a paso doble to Requiem For A Tower by Clint Mansell and a salsa to Red Alert by Basement Jaxx.

At a press conference ahead of the final, Gill shared: "She (Dowden) was there at the semi-final and she’s over the moon that we’re in the final, I’ve made the final."

He added that Dowden has been a huge support throughout his journey, even after they stopped working together. Gill mentioned that Dowden has been sending messages, checking in on their progress, and asking about their week.

He acknowledged that the situation is unusual, saying: "And of course, it’s very unorthodox. It’s not something I think that’s ever happened on Strictly Come Dancing before."

However, he emphasized that Dowden has been just as valuable to him as Oakley, stating: "But she’s very much a part of the partnership and she’s just as, or has been just as valuable, to me, as Lauren has."

Gill also discussed his partnership with Oakley, admitting that he was initially nervous about the change due to the audience's investment in the partnerships. He elaborated: "So I didn’t know how that would affect my journey throughout the whole process, but Lauren is amazing."

"On day one, before I knew I was gonna be working with her, I said to her that she’s amazing, she’s an incredible dancer, and to keep doing what she’s doing."

"And then obviously, fast forward a few weeks, I was working with her. And again, she’s very different to Amy, but she’s, I guess, allowed me to bring out a different side to myself."

"She’s what I call a dancer that feels, and so for me, that’s really inspirational."

After leaving the show, Dowden clarified that the injury which led to her withdrawal from the competition was "nothing to do with any previous health scares".

In 2023, Dowden received treatment for stage-three breast cancer and consequently did not have a celebrity partner on the show. Following chemotherapy and a mastectomy, she announced in February that she had "no evidence of disease".

On Saturday, Gill and Oakley will take to the floor with three performances in hopes of winning over both the judges and the public voters, who will ultimately crown the winner of the glitterball trophy. His fellow finalists include comedian Chris McCausland, 'Miranda' actress Sarah Hadland, and 'Love Island' star Tasha Ghouri.

'Strictly Come Dancing: The Final' is set to broadcast live this Saturday from 6pm on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer.

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