Amy Dowden returns to BBC Strictly and gives health update after hospital dash: ‘So much better’

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden returned to the BBC competition tonight alongside her partner JB Gill and stand-in Lauren Oakley.

Revealing that she had suffered a “medical emergency”, the show shortly released a statement explaining that Oakley would be standing in for Dowden.

It read: “Amy Dowden MBE is doing much better and the Strictly family send her love and wish her well.

“She is delighted that fellow professional dancer, Lauren Oakley, is able to step in for rehearsals and to perform in Saturday’s show for JB Gill’s Couple’s Choice dance.

“We are all hopeful that Amy will be back to dance with JB next week.” (sic)

Whilst many wished Dowden better, and Gill explained how he felt being without his partner, the Welsh performer has kept quiet since.

Tonight, Gill, Oakley and Dowden joined It Takes Two host Janette Manrara, where the latter revealed how she was feeling since the incident.

Manrara welcomed the trio to the show and said: “This is a full couch! I want to start off with you, Amy, how are you doing?”

The professional dancer replied: “I am doing so much better, I’d like to thank everyone for all of the love and support I’ve received and to my Strictly family.”

Fans of the show and Dowden were pleased to see her back where she belongs, with many taking to their X account to show their support.

“Amy still looks a bit tired hopefully she comes back when ready,” one stated before another added: “Great to see Amy looking much better.”

A third said: “@dowden_amy ah what a lovely surprise seeing you on #ItTakesTwo tonight. Hope you’re doing well. #strictly.”

Someone else penned: “Such a nice surprise to see Amy on the #ItTakesTwo sofa with JB and Lauren!” (sic)

This week, Gill broke his silence on Dowden’s absence and how he felt about adapting to Oakley’s style of dancing.

Speaking to OJ Borg on BBC Radio 2, Gill explained: “We’ve been able to build an incredible rapport over the last six /seven weeks and it’s been great going to the training room with her and working on the new routine.

“You know, for me, learning different styles – whether it’s a Ballroom style or new Latin style – and then watching that process sort of, as it builds, into the show that we put on, on the Saturday night.

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“So, to not have her in rehearsals this week has been a bit surreal. But you know, the best thing […] is that she’s taken some time to get better. We’re obviously wishing her all the best as she recovers.”

Touching on Oakley’s way of dancing, she added: “Especially when you’re doing partner work – Amy’s slightly shorter than Lauren, you know, there are little sort of bits and pieces that are different for each of them.

“So for me coming into that and not, obviously, being a professional, it’s just about having to adapt to how they dance.

“The good thing about this week is that I’m doing my couples choice, so it’s not so much Ballroom hold or Latin partner work and lifts and so on.

“It’s gonna be a bit more, I guess, individual side by side, because it’s icons week this weekend on the show and we’re gonna have a chance to express ourselves together.

“So actually, I feel like it’s gonna be a good way for me to, you know, to approach obviously the changes that we’ve had this week.”