Strictly star JB Gill believes he was 'disadvantaged' when dance partner Amy Dowden was forced to quit the competition but admits 'she still tells me off' as he prepares for final

Strictly finalist JB Gill believes he was 'disadvantaged' when his dance partner Amy Dowden pulled out of the competition over medical issues.

The singer, who is now dancing with Lauren Oakley, said he was shocked and found it 'difficult' when Ms Dowden quit the series after collapsing months after she was given the all clear from cancer.

Speaking about her exit as he bids to win the glitter ball on Saturday, Mr Gill said: 'Initially I felt like it was a disadvantage, to be honest, because I was very used to dancing and working with Amy.

'It's not something that's ever happened on Strictly Come Dancing before.

'Having to deal with that was a lot. I was a bit nervous, because people are invested in the partnerships, and that's what they love about Strictly Come Dancing. And so I didn't know how that would affect my journey throughout the whole process.'

'That was a difficult adjustment to make. And I don't think people understand quite how difficult it is to do partner work with somebody.'

'Then work with someone completely different. Obviously for the pros, they are used to it because they've been doing it for 15-20 years. But for me, it was tough.'

He said that working with Lauren was 'completely different'. Since the new partnership, Mr Gill has often featured near the top of the leaderboard.

He said the coupling came as 'a bit of a shock' as 'it wasn't an obvious thing that was going to happen'.

The musician and TV presenter now thinks that his unconventional route to the final could have been a blessing in disguise because in the last four weeks he has scored three 39s out of 40s from the judges, and was even awarded a perfect 40 for his Salsa and he is now second favourite to Chris McCausland to win the show.

He said: 'In hindsight, it probably has been an advantage, because it's meant that I've had to survive through every experience. I had to work with Amy, and to overcome that situation in the middle where it was changing.'

'Then I have to adopt a slightly different style, in the sense of working with Lauren. It's helped me showcase different parts of me as well, which has only been helpful.'

'Lauren has allowed me to bring out a different side to myself. And she's what I call a dancer that feels. For me, that's really inspirational. And to watch the way she dances, on herself, or when you see her in the pro numbers is really inspiring.

'I feel like we've been able to add a bit of that to our partnership. And we've just gone from strength to strength.'

JB, star of pop band JLS, had originally been paired with Amy, who suffers from Crohn's disease and is in remission from breast cancer, but she was forced to take a week's rest after collapsing backstage during week six's live shows.

She later withdrew from the competition entirely after a reported foot injury, and JB was permanently coupled with Ms Oakley.

But JB, who shot to fame on the X Factor in 2009, has said he still speaks to Amy on the phone, adding: 'Obviously she was there for the semi final. She's over the moon that we were in the final.'

'Even when she was not working with me anymore, she's been massively in our corner, wanting us to do well, sending messages checking how things are going, asking how our week is.'

Speaking at the finalists press conference, he said that Amy recently wrapped him over the knuckles for poor technique with Lauren during Musicals Week a fortnight ago.

He said: 'Amy actually told me off in Viennese Waltz week because my thumb was up.'

'She is very much a part of the partnership. And she has been just as valuable to me as Lauren has. So it's been great to have her support for that whole process.'

JB said reaching the final was a 'brilliant feeling'. On Saturday, he and Lauren will dance three dances: a Samba, the Viennese Waltz, and a Showdance.

He said: 'We've been listening to Motown songs in rehearsals. I think the biggest thing for us this week is to remember that this is the last week, and just live it and have fun.'

He is not the first JLS member to take part in the BBC dance competition. His bandmate Aston Merrygold took part in 2017, and was controversially eliminated early in the seventh week in a dance off against The Saturdays singer Mollie King.

Now JB is tipping another of his bandmates for next year's series.

'Marv is gonna have to do,' he said of Marvin Humes. 'He loves the show.' And he is now looking forward to spending time with his family over Christmas.

In 2014, he married backing dancer Chloe Tangney, who he shares a ten-year-old son Ace, who is a footballer for Tottenham Hotspurs juniors side, and six-year-old daughter Chiara.

Speaking about his wife, he said: 'She was a professional dancer, and so for her and me, it's amazing to be in this world. She literally said the other day when we were looking at photos from the Paso Doble. She said to her mom, 'Look at his hands and his feet, Who is this man?'

'She's proud of me, it's amazing to have her support.

'The kids are involved. They're invested. They feed the highs. They feel the lows. Same with Chloe. We're working together through it as a partnership. That was what it was all about, really.

'Chloe and Lauren are probably better partners than Lauren and I now. It's amazing, and that's what it's all about.'

Strictly Come Dancing: The Final airs on Saturday at 6pm on BBC One.