Strictly live: Amy Dowden undergoing second mastectomy after 2023 cancer diagnosis

After Strictly professional Amy Dowden revealed she was undergoing a second mastectomy this week, her friends and co-stars shared their love and support online.

Thomas Skinner, who was partnered with Dowden on this year’s series of the BBC competition, wrote: “Love ya Amy. Hope it all goes well. You are a legend.”

Meanwhile, her fellow professionals Karen Hauer, Dianne Buswell and Jowita Przystal also sent their well wishes while 2025 contestant Karen Carney posted: “Sending so much love.”

McFly singer Tom Fletcher added: “All the love to you my wonderful friend.”

Strictly professional Amy Dowden has told her fans she is undergoing a second mastectomy after being diagnosed with cancer in 2023.

She wrote on Instagram on Monday (3 November): “As you all know I’ve always been very open about my health and the care I receive. So I’d like to start by being clear what I am about to share is not to treat a new cancer diagnosis.

“However, following a recent appointment with my incredible medical team, we’ve decided that I’ll be having another mastectomy this week.

“They’re confident that, all going well, I can expect a straightforward recovery. Once I have healed I look forward to rejoining my Strictly family.”

Some viewers have claimed that Cope has an unfair advantage due to his previous dance experience, complaining about the competition’s “double standards”.

Cope made his stage debut at just 11 years old, playing Michael in the West End hit Billy Elliot: The Musical.

The actor was also part of the hip-hop troupe Ruff Diamond as a teenager, who finished as runners-up on the Sky One dance competition Got to Dance in 2013.

He has dismissed claims that he’s a “professional” dancer, labelling the accusations “bizarre”.

“I don’t really know where all that came from, to be honest,” he said. “I trained as an actor. I danced a bit when I was a teen, but haven’t since.”

Halloween Week marks the midway point in the competition with just six shows remaining until the final.

The show’s glittering Blackpool Week will take place in two show’s time on Saturday, 22 November.

Meanwhile the final showdown of the competition will air on Saturday, 20 December.

Only time will tell who’ll lift that glitterball…

There’s just 30 minutes to go until this week’s Strictly results show kicks off

BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball, who is one of the bookies’ favourite to take over hosting the show has revealed how she’d feel about taking over from Tess Daly or Claudia Winkleman on the programme.

“I think everyone would like to do that job,” she said. “Everyone’s going to want that job. There will be queues going around the block.”

Celebrity Traitors star Cat Burns will perform on Strictly’s results show tonight in an exciting crossover for the two popular BBC shows.

The 25-year-old singer will appear ahead of the dance-off between the bottom two couples.

Her music will be accompanied with a performance by professional dancers Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu, who will receive an invitation to The Monsters’ Ball.

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For the 2025 series there was a radical change to the Strictly voting system, where the final dance off decision is placed in the hands of alternating judges rather than just those of head judge Shirley Ballas.

The judge with the casting vote is announced at the end of every Saturday show, with this week’s dreaded dance off decision back in the hands of Ballas.

If Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse’s verdict is tied, it will be up to the 65-year-old Latin star to pick which contestant goes home.