Strictly's JB Gill addresses uncertain show future as he sends message to Amy Dowden

JB Gill sent a sweet message to his Strictly Come Dancing professional partner, Amy Dowden, on Thursday (Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)

JB Gill sent a sweet message to his Strictly Come Dancing professional partner, Amy Dowden, on Thursday as she skips this week after she fell ill during filming at the weekend.

Amy, 34, is said to be "doing much better" after a health scare forced her to miss Sunday's results programme after being taken to hospital.

Professional dancer Lauren Oakley, who does not have a partner for this year’s BBC One show, has stepped in to perform with JLS star JB, 37, at the weekend.

Appearing on Scott Mills' BBC Radio 2 programme, presented by OJ Borg on Thursday, JB spoke about how it has been training without Amy and he also sent a sweet message to the dancer.

Amy Dowden has skipped this week after she fell ill during filming at the weekend (Image: BBC/Guy Levy)

He said: "We’ve been able to build an incredible rapport over the last six, seven weeks and it’s been great going to the training room with her and working on the new routine and, for me, learning different styles – whether it’s a ballroom style or new Latin style – and then watching that process sort of as it builds into the show that we put on, on the Saturday night.

"So to not have her in rehearsals this week has been a bit surreal. But the best thing … is that she’s taken some time to get better. We’re obviously wishing her all the best as she recovers."

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Speaking about working with Lauren, JB said: "Well, of course everybody’s different and especially when you’re doing partner work – Amy’s slightly shorter than Lauren, you know, there are little sort of bits and pieces that are different for each of them.

"So for me coming into that and not, obviously, being a professional, it’s just about having to adapt to how they dance, and the best way for us to partner together.

Professional dancer Lauren Oakley, who does not have a partner for this year’s BBC One show, has stepped in to perform with JLS star JB (Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston) SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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"The good thing about this week is that I’m doing my couple’s choice, so it’s not so much ballroom hold or Latin partner work and lifts and so on.

"It’s gonna be a bit more, I guess, individual side by side, because it’s icons week this week on the show and we’re gonna have a chance to express ourselves together. So actually, I feel like it’s gonna be a good way for me to, you know, to approach obviously the changes that we’ve had this week."

On Monday, a Strictly spokesperson said: "Amy Dowden MBE is doing much better and the Strictly family send her love and wish her well.

"She is delighted that fellow professional dancer Lauren Oakley is able to step in for rehearsals and to perform in Saturday’s show for JB Gill’s couple’s choice dance. We are all hopeful that Amy will be back to dance with JB next week."

This year the dancer returned to competing on the show after undergoing treatment for stage three breast cancer, including having a mastectomy and chemotherapy. In February, Amy revealed that tests showed she has "no evidence of disease".

Strictly Come Dancing continues this Saturday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Strictly's JB Gill addresses uncertain show future as he sends message to Amy Dowden

Strictly's JB Gill addresses uncertain show future as he sends message to Amy Dowden

Strictly's JB Gill addresses uncertain show future as he sends message to Amy Dowden

Strictly's JB Gill addresses uncertain show future as he sends message to Amy Dowden

Strictly's JB Gill addresses uncertain show future as he sends message to Amy Dowden