JB Gill makes feelings clear on Amy Dowden BBC Strictly replacement as bosses confirm stand-in amid health scare
JB Gill appears to have sent a clear message regarding the fact he’ll be dancing with Strictly pro Lauren Oakley this week following the temporary withdrawal of Amy Dowden.
For the past few weeks, the JLS singer has been taking to the ballroom week after week alongside Dowden but after their latest performance during Halloween Week, Dowden reportedly collapsed backstage.
Shortly after the incident, Dowden’s team released a statement confirming “an ambulance was called” and that following her hospital dash, she was “feeling much better”.
On Monday, however, BBC Strictly bosses confirmed Oakley would be standing in for Dowden ahead of Icons Week as she continues her recovery.
“Amy Dowden MBE is doing much better and all the Strictly family send her love and wish her well,” the show said. “Amy is delighted that Lauren is able to step in for rehearsals and to perform in Saturday’s show for JB’s Couple’s Choice routine.
“We are all hopefuly that Amy will be back to dance with JB next week,” the statement concluded, prompting floods of Strictly stars to show their support for the trio of Dowden, Gill and Oakley.
Oakley also issued a statement regarding the last-minute replacement, penning on Instagram: “Sending you so much love & well wishes @amy_dowden,” followed by a love heart emoji.
“Hope you’re back on the dance floor as soon as possible! I will look after @jbgill for you this week, I hope we make you proud.”
Meanwhile, the likes of fellow pros Nadiya Bychkova, Neil Jones, Katya Jones, Karen Hauer, Nancy Xu, Gorka Marquez and other Strictly alum flooded the Instagram post by the BBC show with love heart emojis.
Gill, on the other hand, avoided commenting on the announcement or posting it to his own social media channels, instead opting for a different way to show his feelings on the news.
The JLS star appeared to throw his support behind Oakley standing in and the show’s decision by “liking” the statement that wished Dowden well.
The announcement came 24 hours after the BBC dance competition came under fire for how it dealt with Dowden’s last-minute absence in Sunday’s results show.
Several BBC viewers branded it “cruel” on Gill that he was made to stand and await the results of this week’s vote on his own while his castmates were able to lean on one another.
Meanwhile, the fandom also expressed their concern for Dowden’s wellbeing given she was back competing on the dance competition less than a year after completing chemotherapy following her stage three breast cancer diagnosis in May 2023.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s live show and Gill and Oakley’s Couple’s Choice, Dowden’s fellow pro Neil Jones has assured fans she’ll “come back stronger”.
Speaking on Monday’s episode of Morning Live, Jones shared his thoughts on the health scare, saying: “Honestly, she’s a trooper. She’s a trooper.”
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Reflecting on her strength and previous health battles amid her latest woe, he added: “What she goes through and then she comes back and she’s so strong.
“We’re always thinking about her. But yeah, she’s incredible,” Jones added.
Gill will be hoping to avoid a spot in the dreaded dance-off this weekend having already experienced the face-off earlier in the competition.
This past weekend it was Dr Punam Krishan who was sent home along with pro partner Gorka Marquez after they lost the dance-off against Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu.
It was the second time Ward landed in the bottom two in an experience he candidly admitted earlier this week left him “gutted”.
