Strictly's Amy Dowden 'Heartbroken' After First Elimination

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has shared her disappointment after she and celebrity partner Chris Appleton became the first couple eliminated from the show. The dancer, 36, and hairdresser, 43, were voted off following a Movie Week dance-off against actress Jaime Winstone and her professional partner, Carlos Gu.

Dowden took to Instagram on Monday to express her emotions, posting a series of photos of herself and Appleton. "I honestly don’t think words can quite describe how proud I am of you..." she wrote. "Seeing your Strictly journey come to an end is emotional, but what I’ll treasure most isn’t the result, it’s the friendship, memories and special moments we’ve shared along the way."

She added, "I know unfortunately only too well heartbreak... But I also know that the reason it hurts so much is because of the friendship and bond we’ve formed and that’s something that isn’t going anywhere..."

Dowden praised Appleton's effort throughout their time on the show, noting his "heart, determination and kindness." She continued, "Strictly may have brought us together as partners, but I truly believe it has given me a friend for life... Our dancing journey may have ended, but our friendship certainly hasn’t."

Judges Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke opted to save Winstone and Gu, who performed a cha-cha to "Pretty Woman." Craig Revel-Horwood, who would have cast the deciding vote, indicated he would have also saved Winstone and Gu.

Appleton and Dowden's dance to "I'll Be Ready" from Baywatch scored 17 points, a slight increase from their previous week's performance. Despite a routine that included Appleton revealing his abs, the judges critiqued his technical execution. Revel-Horwood described the performance as "a little bit disconnected" with "some awkward moments."

Motsi Mabuse noted "improvement," while Du Beke called it "another level" despite technical shortcomings.

Appleton had previously spoken about his struggles with nerves on the show, stating, "I am really struggling with my nerves, I'm not going to lie, I've never done it. But I am finding a new part of myself and dancing, I'm just having so much fun."

According to a Strictly spokesperson, Movie Week was the most-watched program of the night, attracting a peak audience of 5.6 million viewers. The spokesperson added that overnight ratings do not reflect the full viewership in the on-demand era.