Strictly’s Tom Skinner and Amy Dowden head out for breakfast after she begged viewers to ‘be kind’ during their controversial pairing

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On Thursday, Tom Skinner and Amy Dowden went for breakfast following Amy’s plea for viewers to “be kind” after their pairing sparked some debate.

Getting ready for another training session, the pair enjoyed a meal at his favorite Dino’s Cafe in Spitalfields Market.

Amy, 35, ordered a full breakfast, and Tom, 34, chose a steak pie, both to fuel their busy day.

Posting to Instagram, the star of The Apprentice shared: “Good Morning and happy Thursday you lovely people!”

I had a busy morning getting some work done before my dancing practice. As a treat for working so hard, the wonderful Amy Dowden surprisingly allowed me to have steak pie for breakfast!

I just brought her to the cafe, and she’s absolutely loving it!! I’m bringing her along with me to get some work done, and then we’re heading straight back to the dance studio. It’s going to be a fun evening, I can feel it!

He finished by saying: ‘I’m really excited for you to experience it on Saturday, so please continue to have faith in yourself and stay until you feel satisfied with your work. ‘

‘We never look when we pour. Keep on marching…..in my case, keep on dancing. Bosh.’

It comes after Amy shared a heartbreaking message about being kind following reports Tom

 

was being protected by Tom Holland’s ex-bodyguard after receiving death threats.

As a huge fan of Strictly Come Dancing, I have to say that this year’s series has already delivered some drama! The businessman from Essex, who you might remember from The Apprentice with Lord Sugar, is definitely the most talked-about contestant. Sadly, though, his time on the show has been a bit overshadowed by the news he shared about being unfaithful to his wife, Sinead. It’s a really difficult situation, and I hope they can work things out, but it’s certainly added another layer to his story on Strictly.

Tom told Katie Hind of the Daily Mail this week that the cheating scandal was ‘awful for my poor wife to read it all’ as he publicly admitted to the affair.

On Instagram, Amy posted excerpts from her BBC documentary detailing her fight with cancer, including how she handled unkind comments, and accompanied them with a detailed caption.

She shared: ‘Starting this new week, let’s make a conscious effort to be kind to everyone. I grew up learning to treat people how I’d like to be treated, and to avoid making assumptions based on appearances. ‘

It’s impossible to truly understand another person’s struggles. However, I do know how hurtful it feels to receive negative feedback.

She went on to say, ‘I’m trying to use my voice to share positive and important information. Words are powerful, both online and in person! It only takes a moment to write something unkind, but the effects can linger for a long time.’

I recall a coach saying that life is like hammering a nail into wood – even when you pull it out, the mark remains. There are a lot of young people online now, so please be the positive role models they need.

Before posting, I was thinking: let’s try to brighten someone’s day, not add to their difficulties. It’s amazing to realize it’s been exactly two years since I was in the hospital, sharing these same thoughts with my wonderful nurse. Sending love from Wales, always.

In the comments Thomas gushed: ‘You are an amazing person’.

Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse shared a heartfelt message, stating: ‘It’s truly sad to see that some people struggle with self-hatred and unhappiness… This seems to be the driving force behind negative online behavior. However, we continue to thrive and inspire regardless’.

Following her comeback to Strictly in September 2024, partnered with JLS member JB Gill, Amy had to pull out during week six because of a foot injury.

She recently shared that she felt a lot of pressure to get back to normal, and later realized she hadn’t fully accepted the changes following her cancer treatment.

She shared with The Mirror: ‘The previous year was filled with many feelings – joy and anticipation, but I also felt a lot of self-imposed pressure.’

Honestly, I struggled with self-doubt. I believe I was still processing and coming to terms with everything that had happened. My appearance had changed – my hair was growing back, and it was obvious that I was different.

Despite the difficult situation, Thomas appeared cheerful as he danced with Amy on Saturday night. His wife, Sinead, wasn’t present to join him or offer support.

The television personality, after performing the Paso Doble and earning 16 points from the judges, shared: ‘I was nervous initially, Amy has been a wonderful instructor. She’s amazing.’

People on X had strong reactions to Thomas’ performance, with some calling it the worst. However, other fans thought he did well, especially since he was a beginner tackling a difficult dance.

His political views have drawn criticism online after photos surfaced of him at a barbecue held by JD Vance, who was then US President Donald Trump’s right-hand man. He later described the event as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity.

Thomas is facing backlash for X posts where he defended expressions of national pride – saying it’s ‘not far-right’ to ‘fly your flag and love your country’. He also voiced concerns about safety in London, claiming ‘it ain’t safe out there any more’ and describing the city as ‘hostile’ and ‘tense’.

Sources close to the show have shared that Strictly executives are facing a difficult challenge due to his recent activity on social media. They’ve described the situation as “tricky” and are reportedly working to address the issue. Insiders suggest the posts have created some complications for the production team.

Because he isn’t employed by the BBC, there’s little they can do about what he posts on social media, beyond requesting his management team to politely address it – and even they may choose not to, according to a source.

According to an insider, it’s improbable that Thomas will be eliminated from the popular BBC program soon, ‘because viewers generally enjoy watching controversial personalities, particularly in the beginning.’

They also mentioned that pairing him with a popular professional dancer on Strictly will likely be a positive move.

It’s believed he won’t be one of the first contestants eliminated, and might even last a considerable time. The Mirror reports that Amy has a strong support system, which will undoubtedly be a benefit to him, according to an insider.

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2025-10-02 13:36