Amy Dowden has pleaded with fans to “be kind”, following her dancing debut with Thomas Skinner.
In August, The Apprentice star Thomas was announced as part of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. He has since been partnered with Welsh professional dancer Amy.
Skinner’s casting has sparked backlash towards the BBC, due to his political beliefs and his recent meeting with US Vice President JD Vance.
Now, following his Paso Doble debut on Saturday night, Amy has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the TV star.
Last night, the 35-year-old took to Instagram to re-share a clip from her BBC documentary, Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, in which she addresses trolling comments accusing her of being “attention seeking”.
In her video’s caption, Amy asked fans to “choose to be kind, always.”
“I was raised to treat others the way I’d want to be treated, and to never judge a book by its cover. We never really know what someone else is going through. But what I do know is how upsetting it can be to be on the receiving end of negative comments,” she continued.
“I’m using my platform to hopefully help spread the right messages. Words matter! Online and offline. A cruel comment might take seconds to type, but its impact can last much longer. I remember a coach once telling me, it’s like a nail hammered into wood, even if you remove it, the mark will always be there,” Amy detailed.
“There are so many young people online today, please be the kind of role models they need. Let’s be the reason someone smiles, not struggles. Also I can’t believe it’s two years exact today I was sat in the hospital bed showing these messages to my lovely nurse. Welsh love always,” Amy concluded.
In her comments section, Thomas went on to show his appreciation for his dance partner, as he penned: “You are an amazing person.”
Many Strictly fans have also been praising Amy for her honesty, with one commenting: “So incredibly proud of you always.”
“You're an inspiration and send out a powerful message to help others. Absolute hero,” another agreed.
