Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole faces backlash after criticising Amy Dowden’s dancing skills, with some outlets reporting that he is “gutted” by the reaction to his comments. The criticism follows Dowden’s early exit from the BBC dance show: she is reported as the first professional eliminated in the new series, marking a second consecutive year a pro is sent home first.
Across the coverage, outlets say Dowden gives a composed, “graceful” response to Cole’s remarks and is praised for a “clapback” that counters his view that she is “not up to the challenge” of the role. The Mirror and BBC Entertainment highlight her reaction as a confident rebuttal, while Metro and the Daily Mail focus more on the backlash and Cole’s apparent distress about how his critique has been received. The reports agree on the central sequence: Cole’s criticism, the public response, and Dowden’s reply, as the show continues without her.
