Strictly Come Dancing: Amy Dowden in tears at JB Gill’s score as Sarah Hadland wows with Madonna tribute

The professional dancer fell ill during the filming of last weeks show

Amy Dowden gives health update in first TV interview after hospital dash

Strictly Come Dancing returned to BBC One tonight for week seven of the show with a special theme, though professional dancer Amy Dowden was unable to dance following a health emergency.

The Welsh dancer, who is partnered with JLS singer JB Gill, fell ill during the filming of last week’s live show (26 October). An ambulance was summoned to Elstree Studios in Borehamwood and the 34-year-old was taken to hospital. A spokesperson for the dancer later said that the ambulance was “just a precaution”.

Fellow pro dancer Lauren Oakley instead partnered with Gill for the Couple’s Choice, which won high praise from the judges and landed the JLS star his first 10s of the series. Dowden joined the pair in the Clauditorium as the scores were delivered and became emotional as the numbers were revealed.

Icons Week is celebrating 20 years of Strictly Come Dancing with couples dancing to songs by music legends such as Whitney Houston, Shirley Bassey and Queen.

Gill and Oakley topped the leaderboard along with Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, who performed a Couple’s Choice to “What About Us” by P!nk. Both pairs landed totals of 39, with Craig Revel Horwood still yet to reach for his 10 paddle.

Another standout performance came from Sarah Hadland, who transformed into Madonna for a dramatic Cha Cha. She finished in third place on the leaderboard.

Key Points

• Strictly Come Dancing reveals songs and dances for first Icons Week
• Dr Punam Krishan was the fifth celebrity eliminated
• Sarah Hadland impresses with Madonna tribute
• Amy Dowden in tears as JB Gill receives his first 10s
• Tasha Ghouri wows with an emotional Couple’s Choice

[2 November 2024 20:40 · Rachel McGrath]

The voting has ended

That’s it! If you haven’t cast your vote yet then you’ve run out of time, I’m afraid.

[2 November 2024 21:16 · Rachel McGrath]

That’s a wrap!

Well, Icons Week is done and dusted. I think we’ll be seeing the theme return next year as that was a brilliant episode.

We’ll find out who is leaving the competiton in tomorrow night’s results show, which airs on BBC One at 7.30pm.

I’ll be back next Saturday to guide you through another live show as the remaining nine couples dance. See you then!