Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has hit back at critics after it was alleged that she was only paired with Tom Skinner to "protect her health". During series 23, critics were convinced she was only dancing with the Apprentice star based on the assumptions that he would not stay in the competition very long, meaning the pro wouldn't need to push herself past her limits. This comes after Amy was forced to step away from the star-studded BBC series in 2023 due to a breast cancer diagnosis, the intensive treatment and mastectomy that followed.
While the 25-year-old made a triumphant return the following year, she had no choice but to withdraw from the contest early after a foot injury. As a result, Amy had every intention to compete in 2025, but her pairing with Tom, the controversial star, was very divisive among fans.
Their pairing drew backlash for his public support of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, prompting calls for Tom's removal from the show. However, the pair became the first to be eliminated from the series after failing to secure enough public support.
In a new interview with the Daily Telegraph, Amy admitted that she was disappointed that being paired with Tom, who had said he was not a natural dancer, meant her Strictly return ended abruptly.
"Obviously, I was gutted, selfishly, because I’d wanted to prove that after a cancer diagnosis, you can come back and do well.
Hitting back at critics' accusations, Amy stated: "No, they knew I was back to full fitness. And my medical team had given them the go-ahead. I’d just come off two back-to-back tours and spent the summer learning all of the professional group numbers."
Tom ended up in the dance-off against former rugby player Chris Robshaw and was eliminated after all four judges chose to save Robshaw and his pro, Nadiya Bychkova.
They stated: "All votes are independently and comprehensively verified by two auditors. We can confirm that all votes received are validated. This has been the case every week and we have reported no issues with the public vote or how it is being represented in the final results."
