Amy Dowden admits she was gutted Thomas Skinner missed Strictly Come Dancing finale as she opens up about bereavement on Lorraine in the UK

Professional dancer Amy Dowden has admitted she was “gutted” that her former celebrity partner Thomas Skinner missed the Strictly Come Dancing finale on Saturday.

Appearing on Monday’s Lorraine, the 35-year-old spoke candidly about returning to the ballroom just days after suffering a devastating personal bereavement.

Amy, who danced with Thomas, 34, on this year’s series, said her thoughts had been elsewhere due to the passing of her dance teacher, Phillip Perry, whom she described as “like a second dad.”

Thomas Skinner’s Controversial Exit

Thomas, known from The Apprentice 2019, pulled out of the BBC finale and has since admitted he wishes he “never went on Strictly.”

Over the weekend, reports emerged that he is reportedly suing the BBC, claiming the public vote was rigged, following a highly publicised affair scandal involving Amy-Lucy O’Rourke, just weeks after his wedding in May 2022.

Amy told Lorraine she last spoke to Thomas on Thursday, saying he “didn’t mention it” and only sent her messages.

“I was really upset on Thursday and still am,” she said, adding that her mind was on the death of her dance mentor.

“I owe my entire dancing career to him. To be honest, I was just gutted Thomas missed out on what was an incredibly fun, exciting final.

I would have loved for him to be there.”

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Amy’s Journey Back to the Ballroom

Amy’s return to Strictly this year was remarkable, coming after a breast cancer diagnosis in 2023.

She underwent chemotherapy and a second mastectomy but managed to get back to dancing, demonstrating resilience and determination.

This year’s series was ultimately won by professional dancer Carlos Gu and former footballer Karen Carney, Amy’s close friend.

Strictly Voting Controversy

Thomas’s stint on the show was controversial.

He and Amy scored just 29 out of 80 over two weeks and were the first couple eliminated.

Despite his claims, an independent exit poll of 125,000 viewers showed he received only 1.4% of the public vote, confirming he was the least popular contestant.

BBC and independent auditors PromoVeritas have confirmed the vote was accurately verified.

“All votes are independently and comprehensively verified by two auditors,” PromoVeritas stated, “and this has been the case every week.”

Thomas Speaks Out

Thomas has expressed regret over participating in Strictly.

While insisting the only positive was meeting Amy, he said the experience brought negative attention and affected him personally.

He defended his family, saying they should not be dragged into the public controversy, and stated he plans to focus on his children, wife, and work going forward.

Despite claims of rigged votes, Thomas has acknowledged mistakes in his personal life and insisted he remains on good terms with the BBC.

A source told The Sun that Thomas is determined to pursue his claims, though the BBC is expected to robustly defend against any allegations.

Looking Back and Moving Forward

Amy Dowden’s heartfelt interview highlighted the emotional highs and lows of returning to Strictly, balancing grief, resilience, and her professional career.

Meanwhile, Thomas Skinner’s ongoing legal and personal drama continues to dominate headlines, adding a complicated postscript to this year’s BBC dance series.