The professional dancer was taken to hospital from the BBC show’s production centre as a “precaution”
Amy Dowden was all smiles as she returned to the small screen following a health scare that saw her withdraw from the latest Strictly Come Dancing live show. The professional dancer had to miss the Sunday results show after being taken to Barnet Hospital from Elstree Studios, where BBC One’s hit dance programme is produced, as a “precaution” when she started “feeling unwell”.
On Friday, Dowden joined the BBC Two spin-off It Takes Two with her celebrity partner JB Gill and Lauren Oakley – the pro stepping in for rehearsals with the JLS singer who will also take to the stage during Saturday’s live performance. “I’m feeling so much better and I’d just like to thank everyone for all the love and support I’ve received and to my Strictly family – feeling much better,” Dowden expressed to host Janette Manrara.
Gill and Oakley are set to dazzle with a couple’s choice routine in a Bruno Mars-themed number this Saturday. “I’m just so proud and so grateful for Lauren,” Dowden remarked. “They’ve worked so hard, and JB’s just been so supportive of me and just knuckled down.”
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She also mentioned that Gill and Oakley have kept her in the loop with “sending videos and messages” throughout the week in their WhatsApp group named “Team”, complete with a star emoji. Manrara commented on how great it was to see Dowden “looking well”.
A BBC spokesperson had previously said: “We are all hopeful that Amy will be back to dance with JB next week.”
Amy Dowden returned to compete this year following her battle with breast cancer, undergoing a mastectomy and chemotherapy. The scare began on her honeymoon in the Maldives with fellow dancer Ben Jones when Amy discovered a lump in her breast.
Diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, she has since received the news in February that she shows “no evidence of disease”. Documenting her journey, Dowden drew inspiration from the impact her Crohn’s disease documentary had on viewers, stating it helped her “accept” her illness for the “first time ever”.
In the BBC show ‘Strictly Amy: Crohn’s And Me’, Amy not only shared details about her own struggle with Crohn’s but also connected with others living with the condition. This lifelong ailment can lead to symptoms like stomach pain, tiredness, and bouts of diarrhoea as mentioned by the NHS.
Despite these challenges, Amy remained dedicated to her dancing passion, although a flare-up during the 2022 Strictly tour saw her rushed to hospital in Manchester.
