Strictly Come Dancing contestant JB Gill has said his former dance partner Amy Dowden is “over the moon” after he made it to the series grand final.
Welsh professional Dowden, 34, who made a return to the celebrity contest this year after undergoing treatment for breast cancer, departed the competition in early November following an injury.
Since then, JLS singer Gill, 38, has been partnered with Lauren Oakley – and the pair topped the judges’ leaderboard at the weekend after impressing with a paso doble to Requiem For A Tower by Clint Mansell and a salsa to Red Alert by Basement Jaxx.
Speaking at a press conference, ahead of the final, Gill said: “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.
“She’s been a huge support from day one, but even when she was not working with me anymore, she’s been massively in our corner wanting us to do well, sending messages and checking how things are going, asking how our week is.
“And of course, it’s very unorthodox. It’s not something I think that’s ever happened on Strictly Come Dancing before.
“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.
“So it’s been great to have her support.”
Speaking about his partnership with Oakley, he added: “Having to permanently change to Lauren, I was a bit nervous, because people are invested in the partnerships and that’s what they love about Strictly Come Dancing.”
He continued: “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 she left the show, Dowden said the injury that caused her to pull out of the competition was “nothing to do with any previous health scares”.
Dowden underwent treatment for stage-three breast cancer in 2023 and did not have a celebrity partner on the show for that year.
Following chemotherapy treatment and a mastectomy, she announced in February that tests showed she had “no evidence of disease”.
On Saturday, Gill and Oakley will perform three dances in a bid to impress the judges and the voters at home, who will ultimately decide who wins the glitterball trophy.
His fellow finalists are comedian Chris McCausland, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, and Love Island star Tasha Ghouri.
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final will air live on Saturday from 6pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
