Strictly Come Dancing's Lauren Oakley breaks silence as she permanently replaces Amy Dowden

Strictly Come Dancing pro Lauren Oakley has addressed the news that she will now permanently dance with JB Gill following Amy Dowden's departure from the latest series

Pro Lauren Oakley has reached out with a message for Amy Dowden following the news that she will permanently take over as JB Gill's dance partner on the show.

It's been confirmed that Amy, 34, will no longer compete in the latest series of the BBC show after sustaining an injury. The news was shared in a statement by Strictly and Amy later posted about her departure on her Instagram account.

Reacting to her post, Lauren, 33 - who temporarily danced with JB, 37, on Saturday night's show - wrote to Amy: "This too shall pass. We're still a team. Love you. You did the ground work, I'll carry your partnership forward and hopefully make you proud."

Amy's departure was announced on companion show It Takes Two on Monday, with host Fleur East sharing a statement from a Strictly spokesperson as well as her own message. The statement from a spokesperson for Strictly read: "Sadly, Amy Dowden MBE will not be partaking in the rest of the competition this year. Whilst Amy focuses on her recovery following a foot injury, fellow professional dancer Lauren Oakley will step in as JB's dance partner. The health and wellbeing of everyone involved in Strictly are always the utmost priority. The whole Strictly family sends Amy love and well wishes."

Amy - who returned to Strictly this year after undergoing cancer treatment - addressed her departure in her own statement on Instagram. She wrote: "My heart is breaking right now. The past few months I finally felt like me again. Cancer was no longer the first thing I thought of when I woke up. It was choreography, music choices, which dances in which order, what we needed to work on. I felt free again. My goal since hearing those words you have cancer was to get back on the strictly dance floor. It's been such a challenge to get back, one I devoted 2024 too.

"Which with my incredible team we got there. Something I wanted to do for myself and loved ones. There was no feeling like it dancing again in the ballroom with my strictly family. Then I was partnered with the talented, kind, gentle soul JB. Every day our training room was chilled, hardworking and full of big smiles enjoying what we was creating together with a blossoming friendship. JB thank you for being the perfect partner back. We topped the leader board week one and continued to work so hard and thank you for being so passionate about understanding the ballroom and Latin fundamentals. For me that rumba will always be one of my favs. I'm so sad, so upset and asking why me, why now that our journey has been cut short."

Amy continued: "My heart right now is breaking having to pull out of the competition due to a foot injury and I know only too well 'this too shall pass' and l'll be soon better and back dancing. Something l've had to get used to in my life. I'm sure at some point we will dance again JB. To all the fans, to my loved ones, my Strictly family thank you. I know you and Lauren will continue to ace that dance floor. I'll forever be your biggest cheerleader."

It was reported earlier this month that Amy had 'collapsed' backstage shortly after dancing with JB on October 26. It was confirmed that she had been taken to Barnet Hospital from Elstree Studios as a "precaution" after she began "feeling unwell". She was subsequently absent from that weekend's results show but last week revealed that she was "feeling so much better". She then took a break from Strictly and sat out last weekend's show, with Lauren, who does not have a celebrity dance partner this year, standing in for her.

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