Overview
- Dowden and celebrity partner Chris Appleton were the first professional pairing eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing 2026 after losing a dance-off to Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu.
- Former Strictly pro Brendan Cole said Dowden “has not been up to the challenge” of the pro role and argued she had not been doing a good job in recent years.
- In response Dowden posted an Instagram video lip-synching Mariah Carey’s opening line from ‘Obsessed’, blowing a kiss and captioning the clip with a call to be kind.
- Appleton later reunited with Dowden on Instagram to recreate the Dirty Dancing lift and praised their time together, a post that reinforced visible support from her partner.
- Fellow contestants, former stars and fans flooded social media with praise for Dowden’s comeback story and her lighthearted reply, shifting attention from competition outcome to public solidarity and debate over pro standards.