Strictly Come Dancing pro Amy Dowden is being replaced by professional Lauren Oakley on the BBC dance show as she takes a short break to recover from her collapse this weekend.
It comes after the dancer bravely returned to the Strictly this year, following her cancer treatment. She has been dancing alongside JLS singer JB Gill in recent weeks. However, it seems Amy’s return to the show has been brief, as she tragically experienced an unfortunate incident over the weekend.
Amid a flurry of reports, the 34-year-old is said to have collapsed backstage and rushed to hospital, and now she has been replaced in a last-minute shakeup to the show.
A source told The Sun: “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.”
The BBC has confirmed to Metro that Lauren will be standing in today with JB Gill as they start this week’s practice sessions.
Lauren has been a fan favourite since joining the show in 2022. While she was left without a partner this year, she was paired with Krishnan Guru-Murthy last year.
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Over the weekend, Amy and JB achieved a score of 32 for their foxtrot to “Dancing in the Moonlight” by Toploader on Saturday night, wowing both the judges and viewers at home.
However, shortly after the live performance, she reportedly began to feel unwell. An ambulance was called ‘as a precaution.’ A spokesperson for Amy said: “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.”
Amy, who also has Crohn’s disease, was diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year and was forced to undergo chemotherapy. Thankfully, following a health check in February 2024, Amy was left overjoyed when doctors told her there was “no evidence of disease.”
On returning to the series, Dowden previously said: “I’m delighted, it just feels like my first year all over again. I just want JB to have the best time and fall in love with dancing.”
Amy once spoke openly about her journey from her initial cancer diagnosis to her return to Strictly, saying: “It was a scare, such a worrying time. I’ll never forget them calling me to say we’re sorry but we’ve seen something we don’t like the look of.