Fans thrilled as update issued over Amy Dowden's Strictly future

Strictly Come Dancing fans are set to be thrilled with the latest update that Amy Dowden is preparing for a sparkling return in the upcoming year's arena tour. After being sidelined from the current competition on account of an injury, Amy is all ready to reclaim her place in the limelight.

It has been officially announced that she will be joining forces with JLS star JB Gill for the highly anticipated tour. JB is expected to split his dance routines between Amy and fellow professional Lauren Oakley throughout the series of 30 sensational performances.

The full line-up for the much awaited tour has been confirmed, featuring Lauren, Amy, and JB. They will be joined by Jamie Borthwick partnered with Michelle Tsiakkas, Montell Douglas teamed up with Kai Widdrington, Wynne Evans performing with Katya Jones, Tasha Ghouri alongside Aljaz Skorjanec, Sarah Hadland dancing with Vito Coppola, and Shayne Ward coupled with Nancy Xu.

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Ensuring the entertainment factor is at its peak, Dianne Buswell, Karen Hauer, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystal, Robbie Kmetoni, and Jake Leigh will also take to the stage to entertain audiences. Overseeing the dazzling displays will be judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse, who will grace the tour with her presence for the first time.

Janette Manrara, familiar to fans from It Takes Two, rounds out the impressive ensemble, reports Lancs Live. Janette Manrara expressed her enthusiasm about the forthcoming tour and Amy Dowden's participation, saying: "Wow what an incredible line-up of couples we have on the tour next year! Arena audiences around the country are in for a real treat."

"It's going to be a blast to be back with all the pros and, as an extra special treat, it will be a joy to welcome back the lovely Amy Dowden. Get ready for an evening of pure Strictly entertainment for the whole family - bigger and better than ever before!"

However, reigning champion Chris McCausland won't be joining the line-up. He explained: "It's been a really emotional Saturday night and I'm still feeling quite worn down by it. It's been three and a half months; it's relentless. It's consuming - physically and mentally, it takes a toll. This is what the show does, it wears you down physically and mentally and then it pokes you with a stick until you cry in front of everybody."

He added: "I started my tour in January this year, and I did the first leg until May, and I was meant to be back out in September. We moved the dates to accommodate Strictly, so we just moved them to January. We had to move these dates to accommodate Strictly and it just wasn't a consideration at the time... I don't think anybody thought I would be any good at it."