Amy Dowden, who has been teaching Zumba, Ballroom and Latin American dance to children at Hallfield School since 2012, said she was delighted to have been chosen to star on the show. “I was approached by the team at Strictly. They had seen me performing at a number of dance competitions and asked me if I’d be interested in joining their team of professional dancers. The rest is history!

“We’re training every day, filming VTs and It takes Two so it’s keeping me really busy. I’m loving it”

Amy, 27, has been partnered up with actor, presenter and comedian Brian Conley since the show launched on Saturday 9 th September. The pair survived the first dance-off against former Holby City actress Chizzy Akudolu and mastered the American Smooth to a Wizard of Oz theme just last week.

“Working with Brian is lots of fun. We’re always having a laugh. I leave training everyday with my jaws aching from laughing so much.”

Amy and her professional dance partner, Ben Jones, are the current British Champions in Latin American Dance. She moved from her hometown of Caerphilly in South Wales to Dudley in the West Midlands six years ago and the pair have been teaching youngsters to move and shake ever since.

“I love teaching the children at Hallfield School and look forward to returning in January. The children are great and always happy to learn new moves. Some of them have even joined my dance academy outside of school.

“Ben has been great. He and Katie Wallace, who also teaches with us, have been holding down the fort and keeping the classes running every Friday while I’m away.”