Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has revealed her “dancing hero”, Philip Perry, has died in a heartbreaking Instagram post.
Earlier today (December 19), Amy shared a carousel of pictures of her “first-ever dance teacher” and said that Philip was “like a second dad” to her.
Pictures included Philip and his wife with Amy at her wedding, on the set of Strictly Come Dancing and enjoying Christmas dinner together. Sharing her sadness, she vowed that she’d be ‘dancing for him’ on the Strictly final tomorrow night.
Earlier this month, following an elective mastectomy, Amy revealed that she would dance in the 2025 final. Now, the night will have extra-special meaning for the pro dancer.
‘I am who I am today because of you’
Amy shared: “Yesterday we lost my dancing hero. [You were] like a second dad to me! You both have been like parents to me. Philip, my first-ever dance teacher who guided me through my entire career.”
She continued: “I wrote Phil a letter when I was a teenager to tell him he gave me my wings to fly. He mentioned it in his speech at my wedding and told me how much it meant to him last week. I hope you truly know how much you will always mean to me, how I am who I am today and all the opportunities and achievements are down to you both.”
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Strictly star Amy Dowden dancing for late dance teacher in Strictly final
Amy continued to add that she has “so many dancing but other special memories together”. She then listed all the things they’d done together over the years.
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