Strictly’s Amy Dowden replaced in training after medical emergency
An ambulance was called for the professional dancer after this week’s live show
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Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has been replaced in training after being taken to hospital.
Dowden, 34, required medical attention after falling ill just minutes after her performance with celebrity partner JB Gill during Saturday night’s (26 October) Halloween Week special.
The dancing professional was attended to by paramedics and taken away from the Elstree studios, where the BBC One show is filmed.
Writing on Instagram, Gill said: “On behalf of both amy-dowden and I, I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone for voting for us and wishing us well.
“We absolutely loved our performance on Saturday night and are so grateful to be through to another week on @bbcstrictly. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support.”
The Independent understands Strictly professional Lauren Oakley will train with Gill instead of Dowden on Monday, 28 October as her health is assessed.
The Welsh ballroom dancer, who first joined the cast of Strictly in 2017, was too ill to compete in last year’s series as she recovered from treatment for stage three breast cancer.
In May 2023, the dancer found a lump in her breast the day before her Maldives honeymoon with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones. She underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy and fertility treatment in those nine months and was eventually told she had “no evidence of disease” in February.
She rejoined the programme this year, with her fans and co-stars giving her a warm welcome back.
Dowden is currently paired with singer and presenter JB Gill. During the Halloween week episode, the pair achieved a score of 32 with their performance to Toploader’s “Dancing in the Moonlight”.
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Gill stood alone on stage as the results were read out, which saw him and Dowden escape being in the bottom two.
The BBC said "due to unforeseen circumstances" Dowden was "unable" to be part of the results show, which is recorded on Saturday after the live show, and airs on Sunday.
A representative for Dowden told The Mirror: “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.”
East of England Ambulance Service confirmed that they had been called in a statement reading: “We were called just after 9pm on Saturday to attend a medical emergency at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood.”
The statement continued: “An ambulance was dispatched to the scene and one patient, an adult female, was taken to Barnet Hospital for further care.”
You can catch up on everything you missed from Strictly last night here, and review the latest leaderboard here.
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