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Strictly star Amy Dowden has had to deal with several health issues over the years, from being diagnosed with Crohn’s and breast cancer to her upcoming second mastectomy.
The 35-year-old pro returned to the Strictly ballroom this year, after being forced to leave the competition early in 2024 due to a foot injury. The previous year, Amy had to take time out for cancer treatment.
Now she’s announced that she won’t be up in the Clauditorium for a while as she recovers from her surgery, that she said she’s having this week. Here, as Amy takes a break from the spotlight, we look at the health issues she has been dealing with behind the scenes.
Amy Dowden hospitalised after an unexpected Crohn’s flare-up
As many fans of Amy will be aware, she suffers from Crohn’s. However, while competing on Strictly in 2021, a flare-up of the condition led to her being immediately rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
Competing on the show with McFly star Tom Fletcher, she had to unfortunately miss a live show in the middle of the competition.
“Thanks for the all messages over the weekend,” Amy shared on Instagram, adding: “Unfortunately, I was missing from the show as I had an unexpected Crohn’s flare up and hospital admission in which I received unbelievable care.”
She continued: “I’m recovering very well and certainly being well looked after and look forward to returning to the dance floor.”
In January 2025, Amy had a Crohn’s flare-up. She appeared on the Aimee Fuller podcast, Monday Mile, to discuss her health condition. During the chat, the star revealed that the symptoms of Crohn’s disease can be worse than childbirth. She also revealed that when she has a flare-up, she can suffer up to five blackouts per day.
“If you think, a woman is designed for childbirth, you don’t pass out during childbirth. I can have four to five blackouts because the pain is that much that my body can’t control it,” she confessed on the podcast. 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.”
The star has been to hospital more than 100 times in her life due to flare-ups from the condition.
Amy Dowden diagnosed with breast cancer
In May 2023, Amy was diagnosed with grade three breast cancer after discovering a lump in her breast the day before she went on her honeymoon with her husband Benjamin Jones. She was 32 years old at the time.
Amy underwent a mastectomy that July. However, the cancer had unfortunately spread and she began a course of chemo. Throughout her cancer journey, the Welsh dancer kept fans up to date with her progress on her Instagram page.
Amy began her treatment at the Sheldon Unit in Birmingham in August. After eight rounds of chemo, she was finally able to ring the traditional end-of-treatment bell in November.
“I’ve cried all morning!” she wrote on Instagram. “Right an afternoon of chemo and then I’m so lucky and grateful to be able to ring that bell! Will never take it for granted! Thank you to the incredible Sheldon Unit! You are all amazing NHS, all true heroes.”
In early 2024, doctors told her there were no signs of cancer in her body.
Amy Dowden’s fertility struggles
After being diagnosed with cancer, Amy found out she would no longer be able to have children naturally. While making an appearance on Spencer Matthews’ Big Fish podcast, she opened up about how devastated she was.
“[After hearing] the words: ‘Sorry, Amy, you have cancer,’ what I found harder was in the next sentence,” she said.
Amy continued: “You know, newly married, we’d only been married in July, and this was only in the spring now. And his next sentence was: ‘And what’s your fertility plans because unfortunately you’ve got a hormone-fed cancer? We’re going to have to shut down your hormones.’
“I’m sat there with my husband, and obviously children were on the radar or, you know, plans,” she added. “And that I think was like a double stab to the gut, and what I found probably harder than the words you have cancer.”
Amy has frozen her eggs
Fortunately for Amy and her husband Ben, doctors have found a solution for them to have children.
The NHS offers a service that once anyone is diagnosed with cancer can have the chance to have their eggs retrieved and frozen.
“Sometimes your body doesn’t respond, because you’re going through cancer,” Amy revealed. “I had a two-week window. And in that two-week window, we managed. And so we got embryos. Now we’ve got five little Amy and Bens.”
Strictly backstage collapse
In October 24, an ambulance had to be called to the Strictly studios after Amy suffered a medical emergency behind the scenes.
The East of England Ambulance Service said: “We were called just after 9pm on Saturday to attend a medical emergency at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood. An ambulance was sent to the scene. One patient, an adult female, was transported to Barnet Hospital for further care.”
It was claimed Amy was in “huge distress” and celebrity pro partner JB Gill also had to be comforted.
On October 30, Amy’s mum Gillian shared a statement revealing her daughter was feeling much better. “We have talked today on the telephone and she is doing well,” Gillian said.
A BBC rep also commented. They said: “Amy is doing much better. She is delighted that Lauren [Oakley] is able to step in for rehearsals and to perform in Saturday’s show for JB Gill’s Couple’s Choice dance. We are all hopeful that Amy will be back to dance with JB next week.”
Amy quits Strictly 2024
Then in a statement on November 4, Strictly announced Amy would be stepping away from the series.
A statement read: “Sadly, Amy Dowden MBE will not be partaking in the rest of the competition this year. Whilst Amy focuses on her recovery following a foot injury, fellow professional dancer, Lauren Oakley, will step in as JB’s dance partner.
“The health and wellbeing of everyone involved in Strictly are always the utmost priority. The whole Strictly family sends Amy love and well wishes.”
‘Pressure’ on Strictly comeback
In early 2025, as Amy was waiting to hear if she’d take part in this year’s show, she revealed that she probably headed back to work too soon after her cancer treatment.
Reflecting on her comeback last year, Amy confessed that the emotional rollercoaster of returning to the spotlight post-cancer was harder than she’d anticipated.
“Last year, it was a lot of emotions, excitement, but I think also pressure I had put on myself,” she admitted to the Mirror.
“I think this year, I would be able to truly go in and enjoy it and I think that’s what I would be looking forward to the most. I really do truly feel like Amy again. Last year, I wasn’t confident in myself really deep down. I think I was still trying to accept everything. I didn’t look the same, with my hair growing back. You could see a difference in me.”
‘I was genuinely very unwell’
More recently, speaking on Dr Hilary Jones’ podcast, she revealed: “I probably rushed too soon to get back on the dance floor. My body hadn’t fully recovered and healed. I thought it had, because every day when you’re recovering from chemo, you feel stronger and better.
“And I guess I didn’t realise the full impact chemo has on your bones. I broke my foot three days after finishing chemotherapy. And then when I went back onto Strictly last year, I had a hairline fracture,” she said.
Amy added: “I was just genuinely very unwell. And I just think with the hairline fracture during the show and the white mass on my bone and just feeling so unwell, I think it was my body screaming: ‘This is too much.'”
Doctors find ‘specks’ on Amy’s other breast
Last month, also speaking to Dr Hilary, Amy alluded to potential further treatment as she revealed doctors had found “specks” on her other breast.
She said at the time: “I’ve had some scares with specks on the breast, on my other breast, which has not been pleasant. I’ve had more biopsies done on that breast. I don’t carry the BRCA gene but there is breast cancer in the family, my mother and generations in my family.
“So obviously big decisions will need to be made in the future.”
‘This is not to treat a new cancer diagnosis’
Earlier today, Amy revealed that the decision has now been made to remove her other breast. She added that she will undergo her second mastectomy this week. It means she now won’t appear on Strictly Come Dancing until she is recovered.
Posting a video to social media, Amy made it clear that the treatment is not because she has been re-diagnosed with cancer. Explaining the preventative treatment, she said: “Hey everyone. As you all know, I’ve always been very open about my health and the care I receive. So I’d like to start by being clear what I am about to share is not to treat a new cancer diagnosis.
“However, following a recent appointment with my incredible medical team, we’ve decided that I’ll be having another mastectomy this week.
“They’re confident that, all going well, I can expect a straightforward recovery. Once I have healed I look forward to rejoining my Strictly family. Of course I’m going to miss not being there so much. But I will be watching from home and look forward to cheering everyone on.”
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The post Inside Amy Dowden’s health issues as she undergoes second mastectomy – breast cancer; Crohn’s; Strictly collapse appeared first on Entertainment Daily.
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