BBC Strictly Come Dancing star promises to 'adapt' after partner withdraws

JB Gill has admitted struggling with 'adapting' to Amy Dowden's replacement after her BBC Strictly Come Dancing withdrawal. ITV The X Factor star JB, a member of boyband JLS, will dance with Birmingham dancer Lauren Oakley this weekend after Amy's withdrawal.

Gill joined BBC Radio 2 host OJ Borg to discuss how he was adapting to dancing with Oakley and explained: "Well, of course, everybody’s different. Especially when you’re doing partner work - Amy’s slightly shorter than Lauren, you know, there are little sort of bits and pieces that are different for each of them.

"So for me coming into that and not, obviously, being a professional, it’s just about having to adapt to how they dance. The good thing about this week is that I’m doing my couples choice, so it’s not so much Ballroom hold or Latin partner work and lifts and so on.

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"It’s gonna be a bit more, I guess, individual side by side, because it’s icons week this weekend on the show and we’re gonna have a chance to express ourselves together. So actually, I feel like it’s gonna be a good way for me to, you know, to approach obviously the changes that we’ve had this week."

The JLS star also gave an update on Dowden’s current well-being and noted: "To not have her in rehearsals this week has been a bit surreal. But you know, the best thing is that she’s taken some time to get better. We’re obviously wishing her all the best as she recovers."

Amy was rushed to hospital last week, with a statement from her spokesman reading: "Amy was feeling unwell and so an ambulance was called as a precaution. She is feeling much better and would like to thank the Strictly family for their love and concern. We request Amy's privacy in matters of health is kindly respected."