Brendan Cole Criticizes Amy Dowden's Strictly Performance Post-Cancer Battle
Former professional dancer suggests Amy Dowden has struggled to meet the demands of the show in recent years.
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole has stated that Amy Dowden has not been performing adequately on the show, particularly following her return after a battle with breast cancer. Dowden and her celebrity partner, Chris Appleton, were the first pair eliminated from the current season of the BBC competition.
Cole, who was a professional dancer on Strictly from 2004 to 2017, commented that he believes Dowden has not been "up to the challenge" of training a celebrity partner. He noted that she has been the first professional eliminated in recent years and suggested that her performance has been noticeably reliant on her guiding her partner through steps. "It's very obvious that the job has not been done, and I don't think people are enjoying it," Cole said.
Amy Dowden was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May 2023 and underwent a mastectomy. She later discovered she had another type of cancer elsewhere in her body. Although she had to miss the 2023 Strictly season, she returned for the 2024 series. In February 2024, Dowden announced she was cancer-free, though she continues to undergo regular check-ups and treatment as part of a five-year recovery plan.
In the 2024 season, Dowden was paired with Tom Ball. However, she withdrew from the series midway through after collapsing backstage. In the previous year, she danced with Thomas Skinner, and they were the first couple eliminated.
Following her elimination from the current season on Sunday, Dowden expressed her pride in Chris Appleton via Instagram, despite their early departure. She wrote about the friendship and bond they formed during their time on the show, emphasizing the positive memories and special moments they shared. "Our dancing journey may have ended, but our friendship certainly hasn’t," she posted. "Chris, you should be incredibly proud of yourself. Thank you for every laugh, every memory, every hug and for simply being you. I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way."