Amy Dowden’s stand-in Lauren Oakley is Strictly Come Dancing’s best-kept secret

Lauren Oakley is stepping in to partner JB Gill on Strictly Come Dancing, which will help to prove what an asset she is — despite being sidelined.

The 33-year-old professional dancer will be featured in Saturday night’s competition as a result of Amy Dowden sadly being forced to pull out.

Amy, 34, was taken to hospital due to feeling ‘unwell’ following the most recent live episode. The Welsh fan-favourite, who has Crohn’s Disease and was previously diagnosed with breast cancer before getting the all-clear in February, is now taking time to recover. The BBC is hopeful she can return to the series.

After the announcement was made, Lauren sweetly promised Amy that she’d ‘look after’ JB, 37, in her absence.

‘Sending you so much love and well wishes @amy_dowden. Hope you’re back on the dance floor as soon as possible,’ she began.

‘I will look after @jbgill for you this week, I hope we make you proud.’

Since joining the BBC show, Lauren has often been overlooked when it comes to partner assignments. This has been a surprise to those who’ve closely followed her career and also embraced the joy of her 2023 stint with Krishnan Guru-Murthy.

Let’s learn a little more about Strictly’s best-kept secret as she takes on the important job…

Becoming a champion dancer

At just two years old, Birmingham-born Lauren began dancing and entered the competitive world five years later.

Lauren may have been young, but it quickly became obvious that she had the kind of talent that takes people far in the industry.

With titles under her belt – Ballroom and Latin Juvenile Champion and U21 British National Champion – her name began being spoken by theatre directors. This led to Lauren swapping the competition world for performance. She joined Burn The Floor – a show inspired by a 10-minute ballroom dance performance at Elton John’s 50th birthday party.

The unique production has starred many Strictly legends including Kevin Clifton, Karen Hauer, Dianne Buswell, Janette Manrara, and Aljaž Å korjanec. All of them were scouted to join Strictly, a fate that Lauren would too enjoy…

Getting her big break on Strictly

In 2022, alongside Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, and Michelle Tsiakkas, Lauren was welcomed into the Strictly cast.

Upon being announced, she said: ‘I’ve grown up watching Strictly, always hoping that one day I could be part of the best show on television, doing what I love the most. Now that it’s happening, it doesn’t quite seem real. I can’t wait to start this new sequined adventure and join this incredible family.’

Unfortunately for Lauren, there are more dancers than celebrities in the cast, so a handful will always miss out on a partner. The pairs are decided based on chemistry tests, which viewers are not privy to.

The people who miss it are still very much part of the show popping up in group routines and the Claudiatorium, but the main gig is what they all aspire to.

While Vito has been given a trio of partners, and Carlos has been given two, Lauren has been regularly kept on the outskirts. (Michelle has gotten off the subs bench for the first time this year with EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick).

She was partner-less in 2022, before taking to the dance floor with Krishnan in 2023 and having the privilege removed again in 2024.

When Lauren didn’t get a celebrity to teach (Kai Widdrington and Carlos also weren’t given partners), some fans were shocked. ‘In the most positive, supportive, non-bitter way possible, not giving Lauren a partner after her incredible partnership with Krishnan last year feels like a wrong decision,’ summarised Poppy.

Her time with Krishnan, 54, became an unlikely standout of the 2023 offering, with the pair surviving six eliminations.

He was the underdog newsreader who climbed the leaderboard with clever choreography and a joy for the contest, which he put down to Lauren.

‘I had more fun than should normally be allowed on television. I owe the vast majority of it my stunning dance partner @laurenmayoakley who is brilliant in every way, funny, clever, caring, gorgeous and wise,’ he wrote on Instagram after the exit.

‘She taught me with patience and trust, boosted me when I doubted, picked me up when I crumbled.’

Their standout moment came when he transformed into the expressive Emcee for a Cabaret-themed Charleston for Movies Week. While their Quickstep to The Lady Is A Tramp by Frank Sinatra was so suave he looked like a Glitterball trophy contender for some moments.

It is clear JB will be in safe hands despite having to perform without Amy, who he has built a strong bond with.

JB and Lauren will be making their debut in Strictly’s first icons week, which will see all the couples wowing with dances to different legends.

They’ve chosen to do a Couple’s Choice return to Bruno Mars medley. It will likely be a firm reminder that Lauren is one of Strictly’s biggest talents.

Lauren’s partners on and off the dance floor

While Lauren is moving and grooving on Strictly, she is supported by her husband Maximiliano Omar Montes de Oca, whom she married in 2019.

Argentinan Maximiliano has recently finished a five-year degree, and Lauren took the opportunity to celebrate him. Lauren said that he is ‘building a life and finding his feet on the other side of the world with me.’ She continued: ‘And whilst supporting me through my career too. I couldn’t be prouder.’

Strictly has been a huge focus for Lauren, but she’s also maintained her link to the theatre world.

She joined Giovanni Pernice and Anton Du Beke on their tour Him & Me from 2021 to 2023 as one of the main female dancers. When the show was coming to an end she described it as a ‘special part’ of her life.

In January 2024, Lauren indicated she would work with Giovanni again by sharing a photo of them on stage and writing: ‘💋…soon @giovannipernice @strictlytheatreco.’ She further supported him by attending Anton and Giovanni Together: The Live Tour over the summer and telling him to ‘shine’ on Instagram stories.

This came as Giovanni, 34, was being investigated by BBC following his partnership with Amanda Abbington, 50, who made damning allegations about her treatment.

The findings have since been published and no complaints relating to physical aggression were upheld, but complaints of verbal bullying and harassment were proven. The broadcaster issued an apology to the Sherlock actress.

Lauren has also boldly spoken up when people made comments about her short hair.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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