Strictly Come Dancing favourite Amy Dowden has hit back at criticism of this year’s celebrity lineup, insisting that the BBC show’s winning formula remains unchanged despite some viewers branding the cast the “worst” in its two-decade history.

The professional dancer, 36, has defended the new series ahead of its launch, arguing that the heart of the long-running ballroom competition is still exactly where it has always been: watching celebrities with little or no dance experience learn new routines, overcome their nerves and develop throughout the competition.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Amy said the identity of the celebrities should not distract from what has made Strictly such a success for more than 20 years.

“We need to remember the core of Strictly is not changing,” she said.

“That competition, watching the celebrities learn to dance before every weekend, that’s not changing and that’s the heart and the reason why Strictly has been so successful for over the last two decades.”

Amy also admitted that she is particularly proud to remain part of the programme after everything she has experienced away from the dancefloor.

“I’m so proud to be part of that show and it’s got me through the darkest of times and I’m not sure where I would be right now without Strictly,” she added.

This year’s lineup includes a mixture of television personalities, musicians, sporting figures and entertainers, with former Love Island contestant Dani Dyer, footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, Australian singer Delta Goodrem, actress Jamie Winstone and EastEnders star Lacey Turner among the names competing for the Glitterball Trophy.

The cast also features a number of less familiar faces, including YouTuber John Nellis, who reportedly has 15.9 million subscribers.

The inclusion of social-media personalities is understood to be part of an attempt to attract younger viewers, with the programme continuing to evolve while retaining its traditional Saturday-night appeal.

But Amy believes the unfamiliarity of some contestants could actually make the series more exciting.

“The celebrities are so lovely and they’re so good,” she said. “We’re in for a good series, let me tell you.

“I think it’s gonna be one that you can’t call it, it’s gonna be so tight and so tough.”

Her comments come as Strictly prepares for another significant change, with a new presenting team taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

Emma Willis, former professional dancer Johannes Radebe and comedian Josh Widdicombe will host the new series when it launches on September 19.

The change marks the beginning of a new era for the programme following the departure of Tess and Claudia, who became two of the most recognisable faces associated with Strictly during their time fronting the show.

Amy herself is also entering the new series with a very different perspective after an extraordinarily difficult few years.

The Welsh dancer was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 after discovering a lump during a self-check. Her diagnosis forced her to step away from that year’s Strictly series while she underwent treatment.

She subsequently endured chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and serious complications, including sepsis, before eventually being told she was in remission.

Amy has repeatedly spoken about the important role Strictly played in helping her cope during that period, describing the programme as a source of comfort while she was receiving treatment.

She was unable to take part in the 2023 series but later returned to the dancefloor, and last year competed alongside controversial Apprentice star Thomas Skinner.

Now preparing to return once again, Amy said she feels as though she is entering a completely different chapter of her life.

“I feel in a new chapter personally myself with how I’m feeling mentally, physically, and health wise,” she explained.

“I’m really excited to be feeling so strong and happy and feel like a new chapter of me and then Strictly entering a new chapter.”

The dancer was speaking on behalf of breast cancer charity CoppaFeel as she hosted an awareness event with Pink Lady apples at Lingfield Park Racecourse.

The charity holds particular significance for Amy because she credits its breast-awareness campaign with helping her recognise changes in her own body.

Her experience has also changed the way she views Strictly’s role beyond entertainment.

While undergoing chemotherapy, Amy watched the programme from the oncology unit and saw first-hand how television could provide people with a brief escape from difficult circumstances.

“When I was going through chemotherapy watching and seeing what it did to people on the oncology unit, it made me so proud to be part of that show,” she said.

For Amy, the programme offered a form of light relief at a time when life could otherwise feel overwhelming.

She described Strictly as “light entertainment” capable of providing relief from the pressures and stresses of everyday life, particularly because it remains a programme that families can watch together.

“And it’s just a really lovely, light-hearted entertainment show that you can sit around and watch with the family,” she said.

“Yeah, I can’t wait to hopefully bring joy to the nation.”

The new series will also see the return of a familiar Strictly tradition.

For the first time since before the Covid era, celebrities will once again meet their professional partners for the first time on the dancefloor during the launch show.

In recent years, the pairings have generally been introduced through filmed segments recorded around the country.

That format has now been abandoned, with contestants and professional dancers once again finding out who they have been partnered with during the launch programme.

TV dog trainer Graeme Hall, 59, who is among this year’s contestants, revealed the change during an appearance on Radio Northampton.

“This year, they’re doing it slightly differently,” he said.

“We don’t find out until the launch show. You have no say in it, the pros have no say in it.”

The change could add an extra layer of suspense to the opening episode, particularly for viewers eager to see which professional dancers will be paired with the contestants who have already attracted the most attention.

The launch show itself will be pre-recorded and broadcast on September 19, with the live competition beginning the following week.

However, viewers will not see an elimination immediately.

The first elimination is scheduled to take place after the contestants have performed during the following weekend, with the public vote helping determine which couple leaves the competition on October 4.

That gives the new couples some time to establish themselves before the pressure of the first elimination arrives.

The series will then build towards its traditional festive climax, with this year’s final confirmed for December 19, just days before Christmas Day.

For Amy, the return to the ballroom represents more than simply another series of television.

After battling cancer and undergoing an intense period of treatment, she has described feeling stronger and happier than she has in years.

And with a new presenting team, a refreshed cast and the return of a much-loved Strictly tradition, she appears convinced that the show itself is entering an exciting new chapter too.

Rather than worrying about whether the celebrities are famous enough, Amy wants viewers to give them the chance to surprise them.

Because, as she points out, the real appeal of Strictly has never simply been about how famous the contestants are when they arrive.

It is about seeing what happens once the music starts, the training begins and ordinary celebrities are transformed into dancers in front of millions of viewers.

And if Amy is right, this year’s supposedly unpredictable lineup could end up producing one of the closest and most entertaining competitions the show has seen in years.