Strictly: Amy Dowden holds back tears as JB receives scores
Amy Dowden has become "uncontactable" after her unexpected departure from this years edition of Strictly Come Dancing, revealed former contestant Sara Davies.
The entrepreneur from Dragon's Den, aged 40, competed in the hit show in 2021 and disclosed on Loose Women on Tuesday that the Welsh professional dancer has seemingly stepped away from contact after exiting the BBC One competition due to an injury. A week ago, Amy was taken to hospital in a rush after collapsing backstage post-live show and, the following weekend, saw Lauren Oakley step in to dance with JB Gill, Amy's celebrity pair-up.
Subsequently, Amy issued an emotional statement confirming a foot injury as the cause of her hospital dash and decided to bow out of the rest of the series to focus on her recovery. During her appearance on ITV's daytime programme, Sara admitted to sending Amy a message but hasnt received any response to date.
Sara recounted her efforts to support Amy during the tough times: "The thing with Amy is Strictly is her life. It's not a job to her. It's her passion, dancing is her life. And she lives for that time on Strictly and taking a celebrity through that journey. And to have it pulled away from her was devastating for last year. And I remember having to sit her down as that friend that kind of has to give you the tough love and say, 'Amy, I know it's your life, but it's not going anywhere. It'll be there next year. You need to put your health first. You need to go through the chemo. You need to get better. And then you can go and give Strictly your all,'" shared Sara, depicting the poignant situation.
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Sara said Amy had been ready to take a step back from Strictly Come Dancing to focus on her health, with the aim of returning stronger. "I've got her teed up feeling, right, 'I can do this. I'm just going to give it my all, getting better this year because next year I can do Strictly.' And then there she was. And you see her every week. Having the time of her life. She leaves her heart on that dance floor. And then a foot injury," Sara explained, reports the Mirror.
The 34-year-old professional dancer, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and had to pause her dancing career for a year due to her diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Despite the challenges, she made a dazzling comeback this season, partnering with ex-JLS star JB, and was tipped to reach this year's final.
However, she confirmed that she would not be continuing in the competition after facing a medical emergency.
In an emotional statement released on Monday, Amy shared her heartbreak: "My heart is breaking right now. The past few months I finally felt like me again. Cancer was no longer the first thing I thought of when I woke up. It was choreography, music choices, which dances in which order, what we needed to work on. I felt free again," Amy expressed.
"My goal since hearing those words you have cancer was to get back on the Strictly dance floor. It's been such a challenge to get back, one I devoted 2024 to. My heart right now is breaking having to pull out of the competition due to a foot injury and I know only too well 'this too shall pass' and I'll be soon better and back dancing... I'm sure at some point we will dance again JB."
Loose Women is on ITV1 weekdays at 12.30pm and on ITVX
