Amy Dowden left fans in tears after topping the leaderboard with her first performance alongside JB Gill on Saturday, after returning to the show following her breast cancer battle.

The dancing pro, 34, made a glorious comeback and told host Claudia Winkleman ‘I’m so happy I could burst’ after scoring an impressive 31 points on the dancefloor.

The fan favourite performed a moving Waltz to When I Need You by Leo Sayer, leaving both judges and fans emotional.

It’s a big year for Strictly as it celebrates its 20th year, while Amy made her much-awaited return to the show following her heartbreaking cancer battle.

The dancer, 34, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May 2023 and in what became the toughest year of her life, Amy underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, fertility treatment and was hospitalised with sepsis.

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Amy Dowden, 34, has left fans in tears after topping the leaderboard with 31 points for her first incredible performance alongside JB Gill, 37, on Saturday

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The fan favourite performed a moving Waltz to When I Need You by Leo Sayer, leaving both judges and fans astonished

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Amy announced in February she would be returning to the show this year after a mastectomy and chemotherapy left her with ‘no evidence of disease’ following tests

However, she announced in February she would be returning to the show this year after a mastectomy and chemotherapy left her with ‘no evidence of disease’ following tests.

JLS star JB, 37, seemed over the moon after the dancing routine and while chatting to co-host Claudia, he said : ‘I just really enjoyed learning it.’

Fans couldn’t stop raving about the stunning performance, praising JB’s skills and cherishing the dancer’s return to the beloved show.

Taking to X – formerly Twitter – they wrote:

‘Amy Dowden is back and I could not be happier! #Strictly’;

‘I can’t tell you how much it fills my heart to see Amy Dowden back And I’m so glad she’s with JB #StrictlyComeDancing #Strictly’;

‘So my fave coupling on @bbcstrictly is @JBGill & @dowden_amy … both are GREAT DANCERS & the loveliest of people on & off screen … #JBgill #Strictly #BBCstrictly’;

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Down On The Farm star JB, 37, seemed over the moon after the dancing routine and while chatting to Claudia Winkleman, he said: ‘I just really enjoyed learning it’

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Trying to fight tears of happiness back, Amy said she was ‘so happy she could burst’, while hugging her celeb partner

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Viewers took to X to share their emotional reactions about the performance

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Fans couldn’t stop raving about the stunning performance, praising JB’s skills and cherishing the dancer’s return to the beloved show

‘How utterly lovely is it to have Amy and her beautiful smile back on our screens? #Strictly’;

‘What a beautiful first dance from jb and amy, and so excited to see amy back on the dancefloor with a partner. this partnership will be magical to watch and can’t wait #strictly’;

‘Nobody could have prepared me for Amy’s first dance being a waltz. That was stunning and I am a mess #Strictly’;

‘Big it up for back on the dance floor What a lovely first dance #Strictly #SCD.’

This weekend, all fifteen celebrities and their pro partners took to the dancefloor for the first live show following last weekend’s dazzling launch, where the pairings were first revealed.

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Fans couldn’t stop raving about the stunning performance, praising JB’s skills and cherishing the dancer’s return to the beloved show

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They left judges stunned and earned 31 points

But while the launch show was pre-recorded, this week, there was no room for errors as every step, spin and sashay was closely scrutinised by judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.

As ever, hosts Tess Daly and Claudia were on hand to welcome, congratulate and console the latest batch of nervous dancers as they stepped onto the floor to not only impress the judges, but the viewers at home.

Viewers were in for a treat as the first live show kicked off, with a variety of dances including Cha Chas, Viennese Waltz’s, Sambas and even a Paso Doble lined up for their viewing pleasure.

But the BBC show was embroiled in a number of scandals.

It all began last October when actress Amanda Abbington unexpectedly quit the show before claiming that her partner Giovanni Pernice was abusive towards her.

The Sherlock actress has made a series of accusations about Giovanni’s teaching methods and has described his behaviour as ‘unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean’. He strongly denies all of the claims.

Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda and two other former celebrity partners.

He has vehemently denied the claims.

With the report into his misconduct due any day now, Amanda has reportedly been left deeply disappointed with the BBC bosses over fears they’re ‘protecting’ the dancer amid the bullying probe.

There have been high-level meetings among BBC bosses as they navigate how to deliver their findings as they fear the looming possibility of legal action from either Amanda or Giovanni if either is disappointed by the outcome.

After Giovanni, the show was hit with a fresh wave of scandal when Graziano Di Prima was sacked  in July for ‘kicking’ his partner Love Island star Zara McDermott.

Zara explained that she didn’t report the incidents at the time as she was ‘scared’ of backlash.

Instead it was junior production staff who came forward to share what they had witnessed as the investigation into pro dancer Giovanni was taking place.

Zara told her followers that while much of her time on Strictly ‘was everything I could have dreamt of’ inside the training room with Graziano there were ‘particular incidents which are incredibly distressing’.

Over the summer Strictly has struggled to stay out the headlines as more and more alumni of the show have come forward to share their stories.

Strictly Come Dancing: Week One Scores

1. JB Gill and Amy Dowden – Waltz to When I Need You by Leo Sayer: 31 out of 40

2=. Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola – Quickstep to 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton: 30 out of 40

2=. Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec – Cha Cha to Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter: 30 out of 40

3=. Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe – Foxtrot to Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby by Dinah Washington: 26 out of 40

3=. Wynne Evans and Katya Jones – Samba to Help Yourself by Tom Jones: 26 out of 40

4=. Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell – Cha Cha to Twist and Shout by The Beatles: 23 out of 40

4=. Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin – Foxtrot to Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes: 23 out of 40

4=. Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas – Viennese Waltz to Beautiful Things by Benson Boone: 23 out of 40

4=. Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova – Tango to Golden by Harry Styles: 23 out of 40

5. Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu – Samba to Do I Do by Stevie Wonder: 21 out of 40

6. Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez – Cha Cha to Love At First Sight by Kylie Minogue: 19 out of 40

7. Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk – Jive to We Built This City by Starship: 18 out of 40

8=. Paul Merson and Karen Hauer – American Smooth to Vindaloo by Fat Les: 17 out of 40

8=. Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał – Paso Doble to Breathe by The Prodigy: 17 out of 40

9=. Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones – Tango to Ray Of Light by Madonna: 12 out of 40

 

Steve Backshall complained to the BBC about his professional partner on Strictly Come Dancing Ola Jordan back in 2014 claiming she ‘bullied’ him.

Meanwhile Ola’s husband James was left furious when he hit back after unearthed footage emerged of him telling his partner Georgina Bouzova he would ‘drag her across the floor and scream at her’ if she forgot her moves.

The ballroom dancer and choreographer, 46, slammed the BBC after the clip began doing the rounds again following the recent Giovanni and Graziano scandals – saying most of the footage ‘was not related to Georgina at all’.

Professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova also met with BBC bosses to complain about the show in July.

Amid the tough year for the show, hosts Tess and Claudia failed to mention the scandals as they welcomed viewers to last week’s launch show.