Strictly’s Amy Dowden struggled to contain her emotions as she admitted she is ‘heartbroken’ to have had to pull out of the show and feels she has let her partner JB Gill down.
Appearing on Lorraine on Thursday, the Welsh dancer, 34, fought back tears as she confessed: ‘I am heartbroken I will do my best not to cry. I am gutted it has ended this way I feel I have let JB down.’
After battling stage 4 breast cancer last year, Amy returned to Strictly this year however she was forced to pull out in the wake of a foot injury.
Revealing the poignant reason she really wanted to perform this weekend, Amy explained this Saturday marks a year to the day that she rang the bell after completing her chemotherapy treatment.
She told Lorraine: ‘Saturday 9 November marks a year since I rang the chemotherapy bell. We were going to do a carnival dance and it was going to be amazing.’
Strictly’s Amy Dowden fought back tears as she admitted ‘I’m heartbroken I let JB down’ and revealed the poignant reason she was DESPERATE to dance on Saturday
Appearing on Lorraine on Thursday, the Welsh dancer, 34, explained this Saturday marks a year to the day that she rang the bell after completing her chemotherapy treatment
She added: ‘Saturday is going to be tough because I really wanted to be dancing on that floor and showing myself how far I had come in one year.
‘When I got my diagnosis that was my goal and that was my dream to get back on the dancefloor.’
Amy has had to withdraw from the competition due to an insufficiency fracture on her foot, an injury which is unrelated to the foot she broke earlier this year.
After being advised to spend a couple of weeks resting with no impact, she assured viewers: ‘I am feeling good, I am hoping to dance by the end of the series. I am determined.
‘I have had a lot of setbacks in my life and I just tell myself don’t get bitter get better. This will pass but I am heartbroken right now.
‘I’ve got to remember the glitterball for me was there being no sign of disease and getting back on the dancefloor.’
While Amy takes time out to rest, JB will continue the competition with Lauren Oakley with whom he performed with last week.
Her latest interview comes after Amy broke down in tears during an emotional appearance on Wednesday’s It Takes Two.
She added: ‘Saturday is going to be tough because I really wanted to be dancing on that floor and showing myself how far I had come in one year’
It was confirmed on Monday that Amy will not return for the rest of the series, a week after she was hospitalised following a collapse backstage (pictured with JB during their last dance)
She added: ‘I have had a lot of setbacks in my life and I just tell myself don’t get bitter get better. This will pass but I am heartbroken right now’
She told host Janette Manrara: ‘I’m absolutely gutted, unfortunately I have had an insufficiency stress fracture on my shin, nothing to do with my injury last year.
‘I’m gutted, I have to rest for a couple of weeks, but JB will have to continue without me. Hopefully I’ll be back in some capacity, a group number, at the end of the series.’
Asked how much it meant to her to be back on Strictly this year after battling breast cancer, Amy tearfully said: ‘It was everything, sorry I’m heartbroken! Being back with the Strictly family was the best rehab.
‘Lauren is getting a very kind, very patient partner, but he is so talented, he picks up the routine so fast. He just loves to dance, he’s just enjoying his Strictly journey, and I just can’t wait to see them continue on that dancefloor.’
‘I’m just gutted because I was having the best best time, it’s such an incredible experience, to have it unfortunately cut short is heartbreaking. I’ll be there cheering everybody on!’
While Amy takes time out to rest, JB will continue the competition with Lauren Oakley with whom he performed with last week
‘I want to stress it’s nothing to do with any previous health scares, it’s one of those things.’
Amy added that Lauren was in for a treat dancing with JB, as he has ‘so much rhythm’ and had the potential to go far in the competition.
She added: ‘I’m keeping up to date with how the dance is going. We’ve spoken a lot. We’ve formed such a lovely friendship.
‘Lauren is getting a very kind and patient partner. He picks up the routines so fast, and most of all, he just loves to dance. I can’t wait to watch them continue. As JB says: ”That’s dope”.’