Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden was left emotional after her new celebrity partner Thomas Skinner offered a heartfelt promise of support, referencing her battle with breast cancer. The pair were paired during the launch show of the 2025 series, which aired on Saturday night.
Skinner, known for his appearance on The Apprentice, took to social media to reassure Dowden after some fans criticised the pairing. He wrote: 'You are honestly an amazing person and everything you have been through… shows how strong and inspiring you are. I promise I won’t let you down. I might not be the best dancer. But I promise I’ll be the hardest worker.'
Dowden, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and has since returned to dancing, responded warmly to Skinner's words. She described him as 'really lovely, bubbly, full of life' and said they had been 'laughing lots' during training.
The launch show also featured a performance from Jessie J, who recently shared her own breast cancer diagnosis, and a final dance from 2024 champions Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland. Buswell, who is pregnant, has been paired with Australian actor Stefan Dennis for the new series.
Strictly Come Dancing returns next Saturday at 6:55pm on BBC One for the first live show of the series.
