Former Strictly professional Brendan Cole has questioned Amy Dowden’s performance as a mentor, claiming she has struggled to meet the demands of training a celebrity partner
His comments follow Amy’s second consecutive first-round exit, after she and hairdresser Chris Appleton lost their Movie Week dance-off
Amy returned to the BBC series after treatment for breast cancer and has continued with medical check-ups
She later shared an emotional message celebrating her friendship with Chris, insisting their bond mattered more than the competition result
Brendan’s remarks are likely to fuel debate among Strictly viewers.