Amy Dowden has shared her thoughts on JB Gill and Lauren Oakley (Image: Getty Images for Sony Pictures)
sensation couldn’t hide his elation as he revealed is “over the moon” about him reaching the final. The 34 year old pro dancer from Caerphilly, who courageously made a comeback this year after her breast cancer treatment, unfortunately had to bow out of the competition early due to injury in November.
Since then, the JLS hero, aged 38, has been wowing audiences alongside new dance partner Lauren Oakley, even leading the semi-final with top-notch performances—a paso doble to “Requiem For A Tower” by Clint Mansell and a salsa to Basement Jaxx’s “Red Alert.”
Speaking ahead of the upcoming grand final at a press conference, JB praised Amy, saying: “She (Amy) 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.”
Strictly’s Amy Dowden was forced to pull out of the competition (Image: Getty)
He added, touching on the novelty of the situation, “And of course, it’s very unorthodox. It’s not something I think that’s ever happened on 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.”
Reflecting on his new dance floor dynamic with Lauren, he revealed: “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 . So I didn’t know how that would affect my journey throughout the whole process, but Lauren is amazing.”, reports Wales Online.
Gushing over his new partner, he said, “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.”
He praised Lauren further by saying, “She’s what I call a dancer that feels, and so for me, that’s really inspirational.”
Amy Dowden, who left the show due to injury, stated separately that her exit was “nothing to do with any previous health scares”.
In 2023, after being treated for stage-three breast cancer without a celebrity partner on the series, she underwent chemotherapy and a mastectomy. February brought good news when Amy announced that she had “no evidence of disease” post-treatment.
Don’t miss… [EXCLUSIVE ] [INSIGHT ]
This Saturday, JB and Lauren are poised to perform three dances in a bid to impress both the judges and the viewers at home, who will ultimately decide the winner of the coveted glitterball trophy. His rivals in the finals include comedian , Miranda actress , and ‘Love Island’ starlet .
: The Final will be broadcast live this Saturday from 6pm on One and the iPlayer.