Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden is doing “the best thing” by taking time out of Strictly “to recover”, her partner JB Gill has said.
Earlier this week, Amy’s mum revealed the star was “doing well” following her backstage collapse last weekend.
An ambulance was called for Amy minutes after Saturday night’s live show ended (October 26). She was taken to hospital “as a precaution” and missed the Sunday night results show.
And, while Amy hasn’t been on social media since she was hospitalised, her mum Gillian shared an update earlier this week. And that was followed by one from her celeb partner today (October 31).
Strictly star Amy Dowden latest: JB speaks out
Earlier today, JB spoke to Radio 2’s OJ Borg, sharing an update on his training for Icons Week. JB said it felt “surreal” without Amy by his side in rehearsals after building “an incredible rapport” with his pro partner.
“We’ve been able to build an incredible rapport over the last six or seven weeks. It’s been great going to the training room with her and working on the new routine. And, you know, for me, learning different styles – whether it’s a ballroom style or new Latin style – and then watching that process sort of, as it builds, into the show that we put on, on the Saturday night.
We’re wishing her all the best as she recovers.
“So, to not have her in rehearsals this week has been a bit surreal.”
‘She’s taken some time to get better’
Addressing Amy’s illness, he then shared: “But you know, the best thing is that she’s taken some time to get better. We’re obviously wishing her all the best as she recovers.”
JB also spoke about how things are going with Amy’s replacement Lauren Oakley.
“Well, of course everybody’s different and especially when you’re doing partner work. Amy’s slightly shorter than Lauren, you know, there are little sort of bits and pieces that are different for each of them.
“So for me coming into that and not, obviously, being a professional, it’s just about having to adapt to how they dance.
“The good thing about this week is that I’m doing my Couple’s Choice. So it’s not so much ballroom hold or Latin partner work and lifts and so on. It’s gonna be a bit more, I guess, individual side by side.
“It’s Icons Week this weekend on the show and we’re gonna have a chance to express ourselves together. So actually, I feel like it’s gonna be a good way for me to, you know, to approach obviously the changes that we’ve had this week.”
Mum shares update
Earlier this week, speaking to the Daily Mail from her home in Wales, Gillian Dowden shared an update on her daughter’s health.
“We have talked today on the telephone and she is doing well,” Gillian said on Wednesday.
A Strictly rep also said that Amy was doing “much better” following the worrying incident.
“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.”
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‘We hope she will just get better soon’
Appearing on This Morning on Wednesday (October 30), Strictly pro Jowita Pryzstal also addressed Amy’s absence.
She said: “Her health is the most important thing. And she’s being taken care of right now by the team.
“We all send her all our love. We hope she will just get better soon and will come back to us.”
‘Very, very tough’
According to the Mail, hours before her medical emergency, Strictly star Amy had shared that she was finding this year’s series “very, very tough”.
She told the paper: “It’s very very tough competition this year as you can see with that leaderboard. The reality is now that there are 10 couples left and two of them will be in the dance-off each week. But, it’s happened and we live to dance another day.”
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JB and Amy landed in the dance-off the week before she was hospitalised. On this Sunday’s results show (October 27), JB was left standing on his own as he waited to find out if he was through to next week, with fans branding the move by show bosses cruel.
He’ll dance with Lauren Oakley this week (November 2).
Amy revealed earlier this year that she was cancer-free following her May 2023 diagnosis. The star has also been open about her battle with Crohn’s disease.
Read more: Strictly Come Dancing 2024 finalists ‘revealed’ ahead of Icons Week
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