Fans are calling the pairing of Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden on Strictly Come Dancing the show’s most surprising yet, with many believing professional dancer Amy deserves a more compatible partner after the first episode aired on Saturday.
Amy, age 35, is back working full-time on the BBC show after an injury previously interrupted her return in 2024. She had been partnered with JLS star JB Gill at that time. She’s also fully recovered after receiving a stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis in May 2023.
Thomas, 34, recently made headlines after confessing to a brief affair just weeks after marrying his wife, Sinéad, in May 2022. He described the short-lived relationship as a regrettable mistake that nearly cost him everything.
Amy-Lucy O’Rourke, who claimed to be having an affair with him, told the Daily Mail that their relationship lasted about three months. During that time, she said he confessed his love for her and expressed dissatisfaction with his marriage.
Body language expert Judi James has wondered why popular contestant Amy was partnered with someone who doesn’t seem to have any dancing ability, and who appeared to be anticipating potential romantic issues – often called the ‘Strictly curse’ – from the start.
Thomas kept glancing at the cameras, almost as if trying to take them in, but his awkward walk down the stairs showed he’s not very agile. A particular hip movement that was part of his performance early on was a bit distracting.
She explained to Paddy Power Games that Thomas attracts a lot of media attention, suggesting he’d have been better suited to a wild challenge like eating kangaroo testicles on a reality show, rather than the emotional and glamorous world of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. She felt his personality would have been more at home with a bolder, more outrageous role.
She explained that Thomas initially presented himself very confidently when he first met Amy, even making her scream with excitement. However, their body language later revealed a different dynamic between them.
Amy was tightly curled up in a defensive posture, legs crossed and arms shielding her body. Thomas, meanwhile, sat with his legs spread and one hand protectively covering his groin.
Even with all the criticism Thomas is facing, Amy has maintained that she’s really enjoying their new partnership.
She announced the exciting news with a photo of her and Thomas, saying they’re both thrilled and busy preparing for their first live show next Saturday!
Tom is really enjoying learning to dance – it’s become a bigger passion than he expected! We’re all having a lot of fun and laughing together.
It’s been wonderful getting to know you this week, Tom! You’re such a fun and energetic person. Thanks for a great week, and I’m really excited about continuing our dance journey together. Let’s go!
I was so happy to see Thomas post on Instagram! He shared how he’s feeling – it’s great to see him and Amy so excited – and included a fun little behind-the-scenes video of them rehearsing. It really gives you a peek into their process, and I loved seeing it!
I’m thrilled to introduce my Strictly Come Dancing partner, the wonderful @amy_dowden! We’ve been laughing non-stop since we met, and she’s been teaching me all the dance steps you’ll see at the end of this video.
I’m so excited to be on Strictly and I’ll be sharing lots of behind-the-scenes content. I never imagined I’d enjoy dancing this much! Hope you enjoy it too.
The businessman from Essex finished the video with a slightly unsteady try at spinning Amy around, and she was one of the first to react to his new post.
She wrote, “Yes! I’ve had a wonderful week! We’ve both been working hard and having fun, and we’re taking good care of each other. Let’s keep it up!”
Fans were surprised and disappointed by this new relationship, especially considering her recent health struggles and how much they’d anticipated her comeback to the show.
Commenting on social media, one disappointed viewer wrote: ‘You deserved better.’
A second added: ‘I am gutted she’s got him on her first year back.’
Another person commented, ‘You look fantastic, Amy! It’s wonderful to have you back. I’m really sorry things didn’t work out with him.’
Despite the recent scandal surrounding his affair, Thomas and his wife Sinéad appeared supportive of each other while hosting a party to watch his first dance performance.
Lord Sugar shared photos on his Instagram Stories showing him watching his pre-recorded interview on the BBC, surrounded by his family and friends.
The TV star looked delighted while hugging his five-year-old son, Henry, amidst a large crowd, and shared a caption saying, ‘Great night with great people!’
Just days after publicly addressing the controversy, Sinéad appeared happy and relaxed while spending time with her friends.
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2025-09-22 19:04