Professional dancer
Amy Dowden is reportedly "doing much better" following her sudden collapse backstage during
Strictly Come Dancing last Saturday (October 26).
Dowden, who has been battling cancer for nearly 18 months while also managing her Crohn’s Disease, became unwell shortly after performing with her celebrity partner,
JB Gill. The professional dancer collapsed backstage shortly after the dynamic duo performed the foxtrot to Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader during the show’s Halloween special on Saturday night (October 26).
The pair scored an impressive 32 out of 40 points from the judges with Amy jumping for joy as Motsi Mabuse awarded the pair a 9. However, shortly after celebrating, she began feeling unwell.
Despite still smiling on camera at 8.10 pm during the live line-up, her condition deteriorated rapidly, prompting an ambulance call by 9 pm and the arrival of the fire service at 9.50 pm. Specialist equipment was used to transport Amy to the hospital while keeping her flat.
It has now been confirmed that Lauren Oakley, 33, will step in as a temporary partner for the JLS star, 37 following a statement from a BBC spokesperson.
It read: “Amy Dowden MBE is doing much better and the Strictly family send her love and wish her well. She is delighted that fellow professional dancer, 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.”
Oakley, 33, is a familiar face from last year’s season when she was partnered with Krishnan Guru-Murthy. The brunette beauty will now step in for training and this Saturday’s performance.
Oakley, who has remained on standby for the show and performed alongside Giovanni Pernice in his theatre tour, will join JB for a medley of Bruno Mars hits as part of the show’s upcoming Icons-themed week.
The incident marks an unprecedented turn for the series, as no professional dancer has ever had to withdraw due to health concerns in the show’s 20-year history.
The 33-year-old dancer, from Caerphilly, South Wales, has a fan favorite on the hit BBC dance competition since she joined the show in 2017.
The star has suffered from a series of health issues including a diagnosis of stage three breast cancer in May 2023. She underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and even dealt with a clot on her lung post-treatment, a sequence of challenges she described as a "nightmare."
After finishing her treatments and receiving the all-clear earlier this year, she returned to the show, telling fans: “The sun is shining – and I certainly can’t wait for Spring.”
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays from 6.20pm on BBC One or catch up on BBC iPlayer.
