Overview
- Brendan Cole told Sky Vegas in an interview reported on Saturday that he felt Amy Dowden "has not been up to the challenge" on Strictly Come Dancing and criticised her choreography and counting technique.
- Amy Dowden responded with a short social‑media video using the line "In a world where you can be anything, be kind," a post that was widely praised by fans and fellow professionals.
- Amy and her partner Chris Appleton were the first couple eliminated from the current Strictly series, a fact Cole referenced when assessing her recent run on the show.
- Cole has not issued a direct public apology and his friend James Jordan told the press that Cole is "gutted" by the backlash and believes his remarks were blown out of proportion.
- Coverage underlines wider stakes for performers and commentators because Dowden is a prominent cancer survivor whose return to the show and role as a role model prompted many colleagues to publicly defend her.