Strictly's Amy Dowden reveals she 'blacks out from pain' while battling excruciating condition

Amy Dowden
-Credit:Getty Images for Deichmann


Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has revealed that she blacks out as a result of the excruciating pain caused as a result of her debilitating health condition. .

Speaking to Aimee Fuller on her Monday Mile podcast, the Caerphilly-born professional dancer shed light on her battle with Crohn's disease as she shared some of the most severe affects of the condition.

While the disease affects around one in every 650 people in the UK, the Strictly star was keen to share exactly how the little known condition can impact different parts of the body: "Crohn's disease in an inflammatory bowel disease, it's inflammation to the bowel, but it starts from the mouth right through to the gut and you can develop narrowing to the bowel, ulcers, inflammation (and it) can become life threatening to some."

Amy Dowden
Amy was diagnosed with the disease when she was aged just 11 -Credit:Anadolu via Getty Images

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Though symptoms of the condition can differ between those suffering with the condition, Amy explained how the affects of the disease can get so severe that it causes her to blackout: "Symptoms for myself is severe vomiting, constipation, pain, which is excruciating pain, which makes me pass out."

Drawing a comparison with childbirth, she explains how at times her body can't control the affects of the disease: "Which if you think, a woman is designed for childbirth, you don't pass out during childbirth, I can have four to five black outs (with her condition), because the pain is that much that my body can't control (it).

She added: "I get swollen eyes, inflammation to my joints, my skin, but I'm very very lucky that I work with the most incredible team and a lot of my severe symptoms are now under control and in remission. I'm so blessed to have such an incredible team, but unfortunately, Crohn's disease is a chronic illness that I will live with for the rest of my life."

Having joined the Strictly Come Dancing line-up in the 15th series of the show in 2017, the Welsh dancer had already made a name for herself in the dancing world prior to her first appearance on the BBC dancing show. Before joining the show, joined by dance partner, Ben Jones she became part of the first all-British couple to win the British Open Latin Dance competition in over 30 years.

While her successes on Strictly include reaching the final of the show in 2019, possibly the 34-year-olds biggest achievement came when she was awarded an MBE last year for her services to fundraising and raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease.

For more information on Crohn's disease visit the NHS website here.