Strictly's Amy Dowden issues message to JB Gill hours before the show

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has issued a special message to dance partner JB Gill as he prepared to dance without her on Saturday night.

The Welsh dancer, 34, was forced to pull out of this weekend's show after collapsing  backstage last week, with fellow professional Lauren Oakley being drafted in as her replacement.

And hours before JLS singer JB, 37, and choreographer Lauren, 33, took to the dancefloor, Amy - who is understood to be in remission after battling breast cancer and has Crohn's disease - wrote a heartfelt message of support for the pair on social media.

In a post on Instagram on Saturday, Amy shared a picture of Lauren and JB and wrote in the caption: 'Wishing these two the absolute best of luck tonight! I'm going to be your biggest cheerleader!'

Addressing her dance partner directly, Amy continued: 'JB it says everything how you've been able to adapt to a new professional, produce such a great number (so excited for everyone to see) whilst supporting me! I'm so lucky! You're a STAR! I know what tonight means to you! Thank you!'

The blonde beauty also had kind words for Lauren after she stepped up to temporarily fill in for her on the show.

Amy shared: 'Thank you, I knew Jay would be in safe hands and have a fabulous time with you! You know I've always adored your dancing since I ran up to you in Blackpool tower at 8 years old to tell you! Thank you darling!'

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Rounding off her sweet message, Amy also gave a shout out to the Strictly choreographers for 'such a brilliant routine', while sharing her gratitude over the support she's had from fans.

'Also a big thank you for all the love and support I've received this past week. So grateful and certainly helped! Now tune into the first ever ICONS week on strictly!' she concluded. 

JB then responded with his own heartfelt words, writing: 'You are the best. Your belief in me is so uplifting and your fighting spirit is second to none! Thank you for being my biggest champion and I know that @laurenmayoakley and I will do you PROUD.'

On Friday, Amy appeared on BBC spin-off show It Takes Two alongside JB and Lauren, where she gave fans a update in her health. 

Welcoming her to the show, host Janette Manrara asked: 'I want to start off with you Amy, how are you doing?'

The professional dancer replied: 'Yeah, I'm feeling so much better and I'd just like to thank everyone for all the love and support I've received, and to my Strictly family.' 

Commenting on how this week has been later in the show, she said: 'I'm just so proud and so grateful to Lauren - they've worked so hard and JB has just been so supportive of me.'

'He's just knuckled down and the pair of them have messaged me all week.'

Amy seemed to be in high spirits and looked glamorous in a glitzy blue two-piece suit. 

Amy was admitted to hospital following a reported collapse at Elstree Studios, the BBC show's Hertfordshire base after suffering a 'medical emergency' backstage during last Saturday's live Halloween special. 

Moments before her hospital dash, Amy had performed the Foxtrot to Toploader hit Dancing In The Moonlight with her celebrity partner JB.

But fans noted the dancer was partially seated during her latest performance.

During the interview, Lauren explained the three of them have a Whatsapp group and she and JB have been sending Amy regular videos to keep her in the loop.

Amy chimed in with: 'I called it Team and a star next to it, we've been sending videos and messages every day.' 

It comes just after JB  revealed he's 'learning to adapt' to a different style of dancing with his new partner Lauren.

He said that learning his latest routine with a new professional has been made slightly easier by the fact he and Lauren, 33, will be dancing a Couple's Choice, meaning less of the routine is in hold.

Speaking to OJ Borg during Scott Mills' show on BBC Radio 2, he said: 'Well, of course everybody's different and 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. 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.'