Strictly's Amy Dowden in tears as she says show exit 'nothing to do with previous health scares'
Strictly Come Dancing's professional dancer, Amy Dowden, has clarified that her recent injury, which led to her withdrawal from the competition, was "nothing to do with any previous health scares". The 34 year old returned to the BBC show for its 20th anniversary series after missing out last year due to undergoing treatment for breast cancer.
Speaking on Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two on Wednesday, 6 November, Amy broke down in tears as she said: "I’m absolutely gutted." She further explained: "Unfortunately, I have an insufficiency stress fracture, if I’ve said that right, on my shin. “Nothing to do with my injury last year. So, yeah, I’m just absolutely gutted that I need to rest for a couple of weeks.”
Last year, Amy revealed she had fractured her foot after finishing chemotherapy. Before her injury, she was paired with JLS singer JB Gill, who is now dancing with Lauren Oakley.
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Amy added: "Unfortunately, JB, obviously he’s got to continue with the amazing Lauren, but hopefully I’ll be back dancing in some capacity, maybe in a group number, by the end of the series. Fingers crossed."
Praising JB, she said: "He is so talented, like he picks up the routine so fast, it’s unbelievable." While speaking to presenter Janette Manrara on the BBC Two show, Amy became visibly upset and started crying as she said: "It was everything. Sorry. I’m heartbroken."
"Being back with the Strictly family was the best rehab. But, most importantly, he just loves to dance. He’s enjoying his magical, Strictly journey, and honestly, I can’t wait to watch them just continue, in JB’s words, he’d say – ‘That’s dope.'"
She added: "This injury could have happened to anybody. I want to stress, it’s nothing to do with any previous health scares."
On Instagram, JB shared his heartache over Amy's exit, saying: "It’s been heartbreaking seeing the wonderful journey we’d begun come to a halt."
He also expressed his deep respect for her, stating: "That said, I have nothing but admiration for you. Your fight and determination are second to none."
On Monday evening, Amy said on Instagram that her heart was “breaking” as she revealed her foot injury had prevented her attempts to compete for the 2024 glitterball trophy. She had already skipped one live show and watched JB and Lauren dance to a Bruno Mars medley, earning the joint-highest score of this year’s series from Elstree Studios.
The previous weekend, she was taken to hospital as a “precaution” after “feeling unwell” following the live show and missed the Sunday results programme, her representative said at the time.
Amy announced in 2023 that she was undergoing treatment for stage-three breast cancer including having a mastectomy and chemotherapy. In February, she revealed that tests showed she had “no evidence of disease”.
The Caerphilly-born dancer has documented both her cancer journey and living with Crohn’s disease on a number of BBC shows.
