Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has publicly criticized former competitor Brendan Cole, accusing him of making "upsetting and cruel" comments about her dance skills following her cancer battle and of "desperately craving attention."
Dowden, 36, stated that Cole had her contact information but failed to reach out directly, asserting that the "decent thing to do" would have been to call her.
"Rather than him worry about what the headlines were saying about himself it would've been nice for him to call. He's got my number," Dowden told the Daily Mail at the Pride of Britain Awards. "Some of those headlines were quite upsetting, he said I've not done a good job since my cancer."
When asked if she had heard from Cole, Dowden replied, "Nothing, I've not heard from him. It's fine, I don't expect anything else." She added, "I don't know, I just don't want to give him the attention he so desperately craves."
IMAGE1:
The public disagreement follows comments made by Cole after Dowden and her celebrity partner Chris Appleton were the first couple eliminated from the latest season of Strictly Come Dancing. Dowden had also been eliminated early in the previous season with partner Thomas Skinner.
Cole, speaking to Sky Vegas, had commented on the demanding nature of being a professional on the show. "To be a pro on Strictly is a big job and one has to be up to the challenge. Amy has not been up to the challenge, in my opinion," he stated. He also criticized Dowden for counting Appleton through their routine, saying, "She's standing out there counting him in. She's counting every step for him."
IMAGE2:
Cole's friend and former Strictly professional James Jordan acknowledged that a private message might have been a better approach. "What he should have done in hindsight, I suppose, was find Amy's number and send her a message," Jordan told the Daily Mail.
Dowden, who revealed her breast cancer diagnosis in 2023 and underwent a mastectomy and chemotherapy, announced in February 2024 that she had "no evidence of disease," though she continues to require medical monitoring.
IMAGE3:
She had previously appeared to respond to the criticism via an Instagram post featuring a video of her blowing a kiss and miming to Mariah Carey's "Obsessed," with the caption "If you know, you know #bekind #inaworldyoucanbeanythingbekind."
Dowden returned to Strictly in the autumn of 2024 with JLS singer JB Gill, but a foot injury led to her withdrawal from the competition, with professional dancer Lauren Oakley stepping in as Gill's partner.