Strictly pro Amy Dowden has expressed her thoughts on celeb partner JB Gill’s performance this Saturday.
The Welsh dancer’s comments come a week after she was forced to pull out from the remainder of the series following an earlier medical emergency.
Dowden, 34, had to be rushed to hospital after collapsing backstage during Strictly’s Halloween Week.
She has since confirmed that she is “feeling good” but would sadly be unable to continue participating in the 2024 competition as she recuperates.
Dowden was forced to back-out of the competition
BBC
The week following her accident, former JLS star Gill was partnered with Strictly pro Lauren Oakley – a move which has now been made permeant.
Despite this, Dowden is still cheering on her celeb partner as he stormed to the top of the leaderboard this week.
Responding to a post featuring Gill on Instagram, Dowden said: “So proud! Told you from day one samba was going to be incredible, and it was!”
She continued: “I know what you got coming and those 10s are going to be coming! Well done!”
Gill's dance with Oakley put them top of this week's leaderboard
BBC
In a bittersweet sendoff, the Welsh pro concluded: “Gutted I can’t be there dancing with you but you and loz (Oakley) were fabulous!”
Responding to her comment, Gill posted: “So glad we did you proud!! You were right! Loved every second, Thank you Ams.”
Gill and Oakley danced a Samba to Mas Que Nada by Sérgio Mendes which garnered rave reviews from the judges.
The pair received three nines from the panel, with head judge Anton Du Beke lifting the 10 paddle.
Before awarding the 10, Du Beke declared: “I am stunned... Man alive, did you bring it!”
Craig Revel-Horwood simply said the “JB” in Gill’s name now means “jolly brilliant.”
Motsi Mabuse believed Gill’s performance elevated him to the ranks of the “kings of Samba”, alongside 2019 champion Kelvin Fletcher and 2016 runner-up Danny Mac.
Head judge Shirley Ballas exclaimed that Gill brought a “Brazilian party” to the Strictly dancefloor and looked like he was “in it to win it”
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She also paid tribute Dowden’s influence, saying “she set you up for this kind of performance".
The Welsh dancer had only recently returned to Strictly, after missing last year's series as she battled stage-three breast cancer.
Dowden bravely faced chemotherapy, a mastectomy, fertility treatment and a near-death brush with sepsis, all while dealing with Crohn's disease, which she has had since childhood.
Earlier this year, Dowden announced scans showed there was “no evidence” of her breast cancer remaining and she was intending to return to Strictly as soon as she could.
