Amy Dowden's Strictly return earns standing ovation: "You're home where you belong"

Taking to the floor with contestant JB Gill, the pair took on the Waltz to When I Need You by Leo Sayer and it was a performance that earned a standing ovation from the audience.

Showing some real promise for the series ahead, the judges were quick to praise JLS group member Gill but also, couldn't waste a second without welcoming Amy back into the Strictly family.

Cutting Craig Revel Horwood off from delivering his typical negative feedback, Motsi Mabuse was quick to bestow the pair with praise and highlight that it's the first week after all. She then said: "Amy, so good to see you dancing again!"

Lead judge Shirley Ballas was beaming as she looked at Amy and said: "Amy, you're home where you belong and I have to say, that choreography was absolutely outstanding."

Turning to Gill, she added: "You Sir, are an absolute diamond and this is going to be an absolute epic partnership."

With feedback so positive, the pair went back to Claudia Winkleman for the scores and reflecting on her own emotions of the night so far, Amy said: "I'm so happy, I could burst."

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Well, emotions went up to stratospheric heights as the scores were delivered and turned out to be the highest of the night. The pair earned eights from Motsi, Shirley and Anton Du Beke and a seven from Craig, making them top of the leaderboard.

So, it's safe to say that they'll certainly be a pair worth keeping your eye on as the weeks progress.

Of course, Amy's return to the show has been anticipated for some time after the professional dancer took a break from Strictly after having been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May 2023.

But with doctors declaring "no evidence" of cancer in her body as of February this year, Strictly fans, judges and contestants alike are all overjoyed that she's back on our screens. One fan wrote on X: "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."

Another wrote: "How utterly lovely is it to have Amy and her beautiful smile back on our screens?"

Here's to the exciting dance-filled weeks ahead!

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