BBC Strictly Come Dancing's JB Gill issues Amy Dowden update as he says 'it's surreal'

JB Gill has revealed that it has felt 'surreal' training without his Strictly Come Dancing dance partner Amy Dowden, after she missed a week due to sickness.

Amy, 34, is said to be “doing much better” after she missed Sunday’s results programme due to a health scare. The dancer is believed to have fallen ill minutes after her performance with JLS star JB Gill on Saturday night and was attended by paramedics and taken away in an ambulance.

Professional dancer Lauren Oakley, who does not have a partner for this year’s BBC One show, has stepped in to perform with JLS star Gill at the weekend.

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JB spoke to the BBC Radio 2 programme Scott Mills, presented by OJ Borg on Thursday, about his week practicing for the weekend's show without his usual dance partner.

He said: “We’ve been able to build an incredible rapport over the last six, seven weeks and it’s been great going to the training room with her and working on the new routine and, for me, learning different styles – whether it’s a ballroom style or new Latin style – and then watching that process sort of as it builds into the show that we put on, on the Saturday night.

“So to not have her in rehearsals this week has been a bit surreal.

“But the best thing … is that she’s taken some time to get better. We’re obviously wishing her all the best as she recovers.”

When asked about working with Lauren, JB added: “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,