What we know as Strictly's Amy Dowden hopes for return after injury
The dancer will have to miss the rest of this series of the BBC ballroom show
Strictly pro dancer Amy Dowden has had to pull out of this year's series and says her heart is "breaking" but she hopes to return to later this series.
Her spokesperson told Yahoo: “Amy is hoping to be able to dance again on Strictly before the end of the series. It is a different injury to the one she had a year ago. It’s the same foot but a different bone. It’s just terribly bad luck."
It is the first time in the BBC show's 20-year history that a professional dancer has quit while it has been on.
The dancer — who was paired with JLS star JB Gill — was taken to hospital after the BBC show two Saturdays ago. It has now been confirmed that she will have to sit out the rest of the series due to a foot injury.
Who will replace Amy Dowden?
Presenter Fleur East made the announcement on It Takes Two on Monday, 4 November. Lauren Oakley will now be Gill's professional partner for the rest of the competition, after stepping in last week for the dancer.
She told viewers: "Sadly, Amy Dowden MBE will not be partaking in the rest of the competition this year. Whilst Amy focuses on her recovery following a foot injury, fellow professional dancer, Lauren Oakley, will step in as JB’s dance partner.
"The health and wellbeing of everyone involved in Strictly are always the utmost priority. The whole Strictly family sends Amy love and well wishes."
She added: "Sending you all our love Amy, get better soon."
Amy Dowden breaks silence on Strictly exit
Dowden has said her heart is broken as she spoke out for the first time since the news was made public on It Takes Two.
She wrote in a message on Instagram telling fans: "My heart is breaking right now. The past few months I finally felt like me again. Cancer was no longer the first thing I thought of when I woke up. It was choreography, music choices, which dances in which order, what we needed to work on. I felt free again.
"My goal since hearing those words you have cancer was to get back on the Strictly dance floor. It's been such a challenge to get back, one I devoted 2024 to."
The star said "there was no feeling like it" when she got back to the competition and danced in the Strictly ballroom, and also praised Gill, calling him a "talented, kind, gentle soul".
"JB thank you for being the perfect partner back," she said. "We topped the leaderboard week one and continued to work so hard and thank you for being so passionate about understanding the ballroom and Latin fundamentals. For me that Rumba will always be one of my favs.
"My heart right now is breaking having to pull out of the competition due to a foot injury and I know only too well 'this too shall pass' and I'll be soon better and back dancing. Something I've had to get used to in my life. I'm sure at some point we will dance again JB.
"To all the fans, to my loved ones, my Strictly family thank you."
She added that she would be the "biggest cheerleader" for Gill and Oakley.
Gill responded to her message saying: "Heartbroken for you right now. But like a phoenix you will rise."
What happened to Amy Dowden?
Dowden had to miss Strictly Come Dancing 2023 after being diagnosed with breast cancer but made it back onto the show this year, where she was paired with boyband star Gill.
Read more: Strictly
'Strictly's Pete Wicks or Wynne Evans should have gone home but not Sam Quek'
Chris McCausland admits Strictly could have been 'absolute disaster'
Inside Strictly's Amy Dowden and JB Gill's backstage support and close bond
However, earlier this month Gill appeared alone in the results show and it later emerged that Dowden had been taken to hospital in an ambulance. It wasn't clear what had happened.
A spokesperson for the dancer said the ambulance "was called as a precaution" and that Dowden was feeling "much better" so fans had hoped she would be able to return to the dancefloor.
Dancer broke her foot last year
Dowden broke her foot last year after finishing her cancer treatment. At the time she shared a photo on Instagram showing her in a large plastic boot. She told fans: "Not the week I was hoping for since finishing chemo. Port out but unfortunately gained a boot for a fractured foot.
"Absolutely gutted and heartbroken as this means the plans for me to dance in the Strictly Ballroom this year are no longer possible. This is what has kept me going the past few months. 2023 is certainly not my year, roll on 2024 I say!"
Strictly: It Takes Two airs on BBC Two at 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One at 6.25pm on Saturday.
