Amy Dowden is thoroughly enjoying her new partnership with the embattled Thomas Skinner, after he was introduced as her celebrity pairing for the latest Strictly Come Dancing series.

The Welsh ballroom professional has made a full-time comeback to the BBC show after her previous return in 2024 was cut short by injury, during which time she was partnered with JLS star JB Gill.

Now fully recovered following a May 2023 diagnosis of grade 3 breast cancer, Dowden, 35, says her new partner’s sense of humor has been instrumental in easing her back into the demanding rehearsal schedule.

Along with a photo of herself with Skinner, who is widely recognized for his role on The Apprentice, she posted: ‘The news is out! @iamtomskinner and I are excited and working hard rrrrrready for the first live show next Saturday!’

‘Tom is working so hard and is loving learning to dance ( more than he ever imagined). We are laughing lots too! 

‘Honestly Tom, it’s been wonderful getting to know the really lovely, bubbly, full of life you this week. Thanks for a great week and so looking forward to our Strictly journey ahead! Let’s do this.’

Taking to his own Instagram platform, Skinner shared similar sentiments alongside a behind-the-scenes video of himself and Dowden in the rehearsal studio. 

He wrote: ‘Let me introduce you to an absolute legend, me parter for Strictly Come Dancing. The lovely @amy_dowden – We ain’t stopped laughing since we met, and she is teaching me the moves which you’ll see at the end of the video.

‘Honoured to be doing Strictly and I’ll be posting lots of behind the scenes videos. Honestly never fort I would love dancing as much as I am! Enjoy.’ [sic] 

The Essex based businessman rounded off the clip with a somewhat shaky attempt at twirling Dowden, who was among the first people to comment on his latest post. 

‘Yes partner. Had the best week! You’ve work hard, we’ve laughed, and fun and you are looking after me too as am I you! Let’s do this partner,’ she wrote. 

Despite their apparent bond, fans have expressed dismay over the unlikely pairing given Dowden’s long awaited return to the show following a series of health setbacks. 

Commenting on social media, one disappointed viewer wrote: ‘You deserved better.’ 

A second added: ‘I am gutted she’s got him on her first year back.’ 

While a third posted:  ‘You look amazing Amy. Great to see you back. So sorry you got the short straw with him though.’ 

Skinner has faced enormous public scrutiny since confirming his involvement in the show after storming out of a Strictly press event in September.  

And BBC News presenter Peter Levy admits he too is disappointed with the decision to pair him with Dowden for this year’s series.

Taking to X following the launch episode, BBC TV and radio presenter Levy, who fronts Look North, expressed his sympathies to Amy as he penned: ‘I feel sorry for Amy Dowden…’

Skinner has courted difficult headlines over recent weeks after admitting to cheating on his wife just weeks after their wedding in May 2022, claiming the ‘two week fling’ was a ‘moment of madness’.

However ‘secret mistress’ Amy-Lucy O’Rourke later suggested in an interview with the Daily Mail that their secret relationship lasted three months, during which time he said he was in love with her and unhappy with his wife.

While Skinner’s ‘secret mistress’ has vowed to expose even more about their affair, the star addressed his 700,000 followers on Thursday, in which he referenced the ‘dark shadows’ of life.

Alongside a selfie, he wrote: ‘Good Morning You Lovely People!! Nice early start in the gym finishing up my work out and looking forward to another day of dancing with my wonderful Strictly partner.

‘Remeber [sic]….Never give up, because one day you will look back and be glad you didn’t!

‘Now go smash it! You are ten times stronger than you can ever imagine.

‘Make today your day!! Keep your face pointing to the sunshine and the dark shadows will always fall behind you! Bosh.’