Amy Dowden's Strictly Come Dancing replacement revealed as star is forced to miss rehearsals after collapse
10/28/2024 05:21 AM
AMY Dowden will be replaced on Strictly Come Dancing for rehearsals after collapsing backstage and being rushed to hospital following the BBC programme’s Halloween Special.
The Welsh professional dancer, 34, paired with JB Gill, 37, missed the results show after the medical ordeal – which happened shortly after the live episode aired.
The duo were sent through to Idols week yet cancer survivor Amy’s fellow Strictly Come Dancing professional Lauren Oakley, 33, will now replace her for Monday’s rehearsals, The Sun can reveal.
We can exclusively report how the JLS hitmaker will dance with Lauren – who did not have a celeb partner this year – today as Amy recovers.
A source was first to tell us: “Lauren will be stepping in today to train with JB.
“It’s unclear when Amy will be back but everyone just wants her to rest and get better.”
BBC One show fans threatened to “switch off” the series earlier this year when Lauren, who was paired with Krishnan Guru-Murthy last year, failed to appear on the main show partnerships for 2024.
She will now make the cameo with a 2024 show star as she awaits for Amy, who has Crohns Disease and has been battling cancer, to get better.
Lauren also appears to have cleared her schedule for extra rehearsal time – telling her Instagram fans her class with creative director Ian Banham scheduled for today has been scrapped.
In a slide on her Instagram Stories she wrote on Sunday: “Hey guys, I’m so sorry but due to unforeseen circumstances I’m unable to make the class with Ian Banham tomorrow.
“It will be postponed for a future date so please keep an eye out on both of our pages.
“So sorry for any inconvenience. Looking forward to dancing with you soon.”
She wrapped her message with a white Emoji love heart icon.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
On Saturday, we were first to report how Amy was attended to by paramedics at Elstree Studios and taken away in an ambulance.
At the time, an East of England Ambulance Service spokesman 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.”
Strictly 2024 pairings
Here's who is matched with who this series...
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
JB Gill and Amy Dowden MBE
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
A statement from Amy’s spokesperson read: “Amy was feeling unwell and so an ambulance was called as a precaution.
She is feeling much better and would like to thank the Strictly family for their love and concern.
“We request Amy’s privacy in matters of health is kindly respected.”
Her replacement comes amid fears she will now be forced to quit this year’s instalment completely.
Meanwhile, Everybody In Love singer JB broke his silence in the Results Show after Amy’s exit
It came as the duo were sent swiftly through to the next round while Dr Punam was given the boot alongside her professional partner, Gorka Marquez.
HAPPY CHAPTER
Amy rejoined the series this year after being diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May of last year and couldn’t fully participate in the 2023 show.
She has previously talked at length about the excruciating pain she suffers as a result of her Crohns, an inflammatory disease of the digestive system, and how it has hospitalised her on many occasions.
Together with JB Gill the pair were one of the most successful duos of this year, regularly finishing near the top of the scoreboard, although they were in last week’s dance off and were saved by the judges, sending Paul Merson and Karen Hauer home.
Before her return to Strictly, Amy faced moths of gruelling cancer treatment and was forced to step back from the series last year.
And it’s touching messages from fans that help her to stay on the show, as she revealed: “I get so many messages about my smile. I do always look back and think, 'Gosh, this time last year I was having chemo, this time last year I was in hospital with a blood clot'.
“What a difference a year can make.
“I get messages every day from people saying, 'I'm going through chemo and you're my hope', or, 'Because of you I've checked myself and I found a lump', or some-thing like this. I'm just grateful to be back and be in the position I am."
