BBC Strictly's Neil Jones breaks silence on co-star's return after cancer battle
Strictly Come Dancing star Neil Jones has opened up on Amy Dowden's return to the ballroom after taking a year out following her cancer diagnosis.
The BBC show returns this weekend for the 2024 launch show which marks the 20th anniversary of the dance series and Welsh professional Amy is back following her breast cancer treatment.
Opening up on what fans can expect from the upcoming launch show at the National Television Awards, Neil revealed: "It's one of those things every year I turn around to myself and say 'can we make it any better?' and it is because a lot of the group numbers we've done are brilliant and I feel like our launch number is out of this world."
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"It's a beautiful dance with Amy [Dowden], Amy's back and that is fantastic and this cast, I've never laughed to much in my life. Honestly, when we were doing the launch show I was belly laughing. "It's a nice mixture of dancers and I think that's important so there's someone there for everyone and it's one of those things you never know who is going to do well. You just can't call it. I say every year 'they could be good' and it goes the opposite way so we'll see after a few shows.""
Neil has been at the centre of the Strictly Come Dancing family for nine years as he makes his return for 2024. Despite his huge popularity with fans, he has only been paired with two partners.
Back in 2020 he danced with The One Show's Alex Jones and made it to the final five couples. Just a year later, he was the first pro to be sent packing alongside former EastEnders actress Nina Wadia.
The roster of professional dancers making a return to the show features Neil, Amy, Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola. Aljaz Skorjanec is also set to make a grand return after taking a two-year hiatus.
Strictly Come Dancing 2024 launch show is on BBC One on Saturday, September 14