Strictly Come Dancing is back on BBC One for week eight, but professional dancer Amy Dowden will not be returning for the remainder of the series.
Dowden, who was partnered with JLS singer JB Gill, was replaced by Lauren Oakley, after the former was rushed to hospital, having fallen ill during a live show.
The Welsh dancer, 34, had returned to competing in the BBC show for its 20th anniversary series following cancer treatment.
Dowden clarified that her “insufficiency stress fracture” had “nothing to do with any previous health scares”.
Meanwhile, the series has been plagued by rumours that fan-favourite Johannes Radebe is set to quit, after several outlets reported that his schedule for 2025 would mean he would be too busy to participate.
He is billed to star in Kinky Boots: The Musical for the first half of the year while he works on a film adaptation of his life story.
Radebe hit back at the claims, writing “I’m not going anywhere!” in a post on Instagram.
Last week, Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin were eliminated as they lost out to Radebe and Montell Douglas after placing in the bottom two following a public vote. Despite scoring lowest on the leaderboard, Pete Wicks and Jowitz Przystal survived another week.
This week, the stars will perform dances to a variety of songs at Blackpool Tower, with two Couple’s Choice dances by Przystal and Wicks, and Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell.
And we’re off!
Here we go! There are just nine couples left in the competition and tonight, they’re fighting it out not just for their spots in the competition, but to dance in the Blackpool special next week.
We have two Couple’s Choice routines on the schedule along with what could be a seriously high-scoring Argentine Tango and another Rumba. Buckle up, it should be a great evening.
Rachel McGrath9 November 2024 18:35
The sixth Strictly contestant eliminated in last week’s show
Former Olympic hockey player Sam Quek and her professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin wrre the latest couple to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.
Last Saturday’s episode saw the dance couples compete in the first ever Icons Week, dancing to songs by legendary musical acts such as The Beatles, George Michael, Bruno Mars, Queen, Madonna and Shirley Bassey.
Maira Butt9 November 2024 18:08
All of the Strictly stars with previous dance experience, from Tasha Ghouri to JB Gill
As many of the celebrities competing on Strictly are actors, singers and performers, a large number of them will have trained in dance or theatrical performance.
Those contestants are often subject to backlash from viewers at home who argue that they have an unfair advantage compared to the other contestants.
There is also criticism that the inclusion of these celebrities means that the amateur dancing show has become more competitive in recent years. Last year, Layton Williams faced similar complaints from viewers who claimed he had an unfair advantage due to his dance experience performing in West End productions.
Maira Butt9 November 2024 17:30
Strictly Come Dancing 2024 couples – full list of celebrities and their partners
It’s Strictly season, and by now, all the stars have been through dozens of hours of intense training and performing, and know their respective pro dancers pretty well.
The reality competition series returned to our screens on 14 September, with a launch show in which the celebrity contestants learnt which professional dancers they would be coupled up with.
Meet your Strictly Come Dancing couples below…
Maira Butt9 November 2024 17:00
Tearful Amy Dowden hints she may make a sensational Strictly return
She got emotional in an appearance on the BBC’s It Takes Two: “I’m absolutely gutted. Unfortunately, I have a stress fracture on my shin. I’m absolutely gutted, I need to rest for a couple of weeks.
“Hopefully I will be back dancing, hopefully in a group number by the end of the series. Fingers crossed.”
Read the full story below
Maira Butt9 November 2024 16:30
Amy Dowden gives health update in first TV interview after hospital dash
Maira Butt9 November 2024 15:57
Why isn’t Amy Dowden competing on Strictly Come Dancing and who is her replacement?
The 34-year-old dancer was rushed to hospital as a “precaution” on 26 October, but it was later revealed she had sustained a stress fracture in her shin, which requires several weeks of rest.
Oakley, who came eighth when partnered with Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy in the show’s previous season, did not have a partner this year. She joined the show in 2022.
“I’m absolutely gutted, I need to rest for a couple of weeks,” Dowden said on It Takes Two. “Hopefully I will be back dancing, hopefully in a group number by the end of the series. Fingers crossed.”
Read the full story below
Maira Butt9 November 2024 15:00
Strictly ‘to axe five professionals’ as BBC bosses ‘want fresh start’
According to The Sun, those at risk of being dropped are reportedly some of the show’s longest-standing pros, including Nadiya Bychkova, who joined the show in 2017, Neil Jones (2016), Karen Hauer (2012), Gorka Marquez (2016) and Katya Jones (2016).
Read the full story below
Maira Butt9 November 2024 14:08
Strictly star Johannes Radebe denies rumours he is leaving dancing show
In a video uploaded to his Instagram on Thursday, the dancer shared a video of himself in a training studio singing, “I’m going nowhere…. It’s a lie.”
He then joked and danced with Douglas in rehearsal, telling the camera: “Why they tell lies about me?”
He wrote in the post’s caption: “I’m not going nowhere! The story isn’t true – I love @bbcstrictly and I want to do this beautiful show for as long as they want me – and the body will allow.”
Maira Butt9 November 2024 13:30
Why isn’t Amy Dowden competing on Strictly Come Dancing and who is her replacement?
The 34-year-old dancer was rushed to hospital as a “precaution” on 26 October, but it was later revealed she had sustained a stress fracture in her shin, which requires several weeks of rest.
Oakley, who came eighth when partnered with Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy in the show’s previous season, did not have a partner this year. She joined the show in 2022.
“I’m absolutely gutted, I need to rest for a couple of weeks,” Dowden said on It Takes Two. “Hopefully I will be back dancing, hopefully in a group number by the end of the series. Fingers crossed.”
Maira Butt9 November 2024 13:06