Amy Dowden has shared a poignant message on social media after she and celebrity partner Chris Appleton became the first couple to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing. The 36-year-old professional dancer and the hair stylist were sent home after the first public vote placed them in the bottom two following Movie Week.
Second Consecutive Early Exit
This marks the second consecutive year that Dowden has been the first to be voted off the BBC competition, having previously landed in the bottom two with Thomas Skinner. Her former colleague Brendan Cole recently criticised her performance, telling Sky Vegas: "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."
Cole, who appeared on the show from 2004 until 2018, added: "I don't think Amy's been doing a very good job for the last few years and she's been out first for the last few years. One can do the maths on that." He also claimed he could see Dowden "counting in" her partners, which he saw as a sign that the "job has not been done".
Cryptic Message and Emotional Response
Days after Cole's comments, Dowden took to her Instagram Stories and shared a cryptic message urging kindness. Posting a photo taken at Morden station, she captured the "Thought of the Day," which read: "May your day be filled with good thoughts, kind people and happy moments."
Speaking on Monday's episode of It Takes Two with host Ellie Taylor, Dowden and Appleton became emotional discussing their early exit. "From the first day to dancing on Saturday night, [Chris] grew and grew and grew [in confidence] and I'm just gutted that we didn't get the chance to continue," she said. "I honestly think there was so much more to come."
Return to Strictly
Dowden rejoined the Strictly line-up in 2024 after stepping away from the show in 2022 following a breast cancer diagnosis. She was forced to withdraw from that series due to a stress fracture in her foot. Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One tonight at 6.15pm.
