Amy Dowden Responds to Brendan Cole's 'Cruel' Comments on Her Dancing Skills

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has publicly addressed former professional dancer Brendan Cole's recent comments about her dance skills, advocating for kindness and questioning his remarks.

Cole, a former Strictly pro, stated in an interview that Dowden "hasn't been up to the challenge" of training a celebrity partner, despite her return to the show after undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Dowden, who was eliminated with her celebrity partner Chris Appleton in a recent dance-off, responded to Cole's comments in a new interview.

"I'll be honest, what do you expect from him?" Dowden stated, adding, "It's fine – I've never been brought up to be personal, and in this day and age especially I think it's so important to be kind, and to think about the next generation."

Dowden, who runs a dance academy, highlighted her role as a role model for young children who look up to her. She also took to Instagram to share a video, seemingly referencing Mariah Carey's song "Obsessed" with the caption, "If you know, you know #bekind #inaworldyoucanbeanythingbekind." The post was met with widespread praise from viewers who lauded her response as "iconic."

Cole had remarked that Dowden "hasn't been doing a very good job" as a professional dancer on the show in recent years, noting that she has been the first to be eliminated in consecutive seasons. He further elaborated, "One can do the maths on that." He also commented that she appeared to be "counting every step for him. It's very obvious that the job has not been done, and I don't think people are enjoying it."

Dowden was diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer in May 2023 and underwent a mastectomy. She was forced to withdraw from the show that year. In February 2024, she announced she was cancer-free, though she continues with a five-year recovery plan involving regular check-ups and treatments. She returned to Strictly in 2024, partnered with JB Gill, but had to withdraw mid-series after collapsing backstage. In the previous season, she danced with Thomas Skinner, and they were the first pairing eliminated.