By Olivia Wheeler
Copyright dailystar
A former Strictly Come Dancing professional has weighed in on Thomas Skinner being teamed up with pro dancer Amy Dowden. Thomas, 34, who shot to fame on The Apprentice in 2019, was paired with Welsh dance whizz Amy, 35, during Saturday’s launch show, where the celebs discover their professional partners. From the outset of the new series, a number of viewers have predicted a potentially tense working relationship between the two, following the announcement of their partnership. Some fans took to social media, suggesting that Amy deserved a ‘better partner’, while others speculated that her 2025 journey might be cut short due to her pairing with Thomas, in light of revelations about his affair with Essex beautician Amy-Lucy O’Rourke. Just last week, the reality TV star confessed to his infidelity, admitting he had been unfaithful with Amy-Lucy just weeks after tying the knot with his wife Sinead, reports Wales Online . Amid the controversy and fan predictions, former strictly -come-dancing> Strictly Come Dancing pro James Jordan has given his take on Thomas and Amy’s pairing. James, 47, served as a professional dancer on Strictly from 2006 to 2013, partnering with various celebrities including Alex Jones, Gabby Logan, Denise Van Outen and Vanessa Feltz. Speaking exclusively on behalf of Freebets.com where he serves as the resident entertainment betting expert, James revealed: “Would I have put those two together? I’m not sure. Amy is super sweet – lovely girl – and you’ve paired her with someone people are saying is ‘a bit right-wing’ or ‘propaganda.’ “To me he seems really funny; maybe they’ll complement each other-I could be wrong. When you’ve got someone like that, I personally want a partner who pushes them, laughs with them, is on the same wavelength.” The 2025 contestant Thomas, previously recognised for his cheeky charm on reality television, has since cultivated a completely different career through his straight-talking social media content, spanning business advice, political commentary, and candid opinions on daily matters. His career took an unexpected twist earlier this year when he developed a friendship with US Vice President JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate. However, the BBC’s decision to give Thomas a sought-after prime-time dancing slot has caused unrest amongst some Strictly devotees. Addressing the BBC’s decision to include Thomas on the show, James previously commented: “I personally don’t think there’s anything wrong with being outspoken and I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone should have a voice. “I say fair play to BBC for having someone like that on there just for a balance really more than anything. You can’t always go the left, the left, the left. BBC are very left, aren’t they? So actually it’s quite nice that they’ve put someone on there to maybe balance it out.” James went on: “I think he’s going to be a good laugh. He seems like a proper lad. I think maybe people have got a misconception of what he’s like. Let’s give him a chance. Let’s give the guy a chance. I think it’s very easy to judge people before you actually know who they are just because of their views or opinions. “You know, I’ve got many friends that I don’t necessarily agree with their views and opinions. It doesn’t mean that they’re not nice people and I still can’t get along with them. I think it’s a good thing that he’s on the show.”
