3 weeks ago
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JB Gill and Amy Dowden were among the favourites to win Strictly Come Dancing this year - but now, following the end of the latter's cancer treatment, the professional dancer had a terrifying collapse backstage.
She pulled out temporarily and was replaced by Lauren Oakley, with fans eagerly awaiting news about if and when she might return to the stage. Now JB Gill has clarified that she has "taken some time to get better".
He admitted during a new BBC Radio 2 interview that it has been "surreal" learning his steps without his partner - especially after the pair had developed an "incredible rapport". He's also had to adapt to Lauren's increased height in comparison to Amy's, meaning his rehearsal routine has been totally shaken up.
However, he praised on Scott Mills' show: "We’ve been able to build an incredible rapport over the last six or seven weeks and it’s been great going to the training room with [Amy] and working on the new routine." He added that "learning different styles", from ballroom to Latin, and watching the process build into a climactic Saturday night show, had been a huge experience for him.
He revealed: "To not have her in rehearsals this week has been a bit surreal, but you know, the best thing... is that she’s taken some time to get better. We’re obviously wishing her all the best as she recovers.”
JB is now working side by side with Lauren, the Strictly pro who danced in Giovanni Pernice and Anton du Beke's West End show Together this year.
She'll be helping to hone his technique for the Icons Week, with JB admitting he's relieved he doesn't have too many technical dance steps to master while adapting to a new partner.
"Of course, everybody’s different and especially when you’re doing partner work - Amy’s slightly shorter than Lauren [so] there are little sort of bits and pieces that are different for each of them," he explained.
"For me coming into that and not, obviously, being a professional, it’s just about having to adapt to how they dance."
However, on the positive side, he declared: "The good thing about this week is that I’m doing my Couples' 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 weekend on the show and we’re gonna have a chance to express ourselves together."
He added that he felt it would be "a good way... to approach obviously the changes that we’ve had this week".
Strictly returns this Saturday on BBC One.
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