Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has revealed she missed the weekend’s shows after being admitted to hospital with an “unexpected Crohn’s flare-up”.
The 31-year-old dancer said on Instagram that she is now being looked after by her celebrity partner on the BBC One series, McFly star Tom Fletcher, and his wife Giovanna, at their family home.
The pair stepped in to help while Dowden’s husband, Ben Jones, was working away from home.
Caerphilly-born Dowden first revealed she was suffering from Crohn’s disease in 2019, in a bid to help other sufferers.
It is described by the NHS as a lifelong condition in which parts of the digestive system become inflamed.
People with the disease commonly experience phases of intense abdominal pain, severe vomiting, exhaustion and bloody diarrhoea, among other symptoms.
Sharing photos of herself in hospital and later at the Fletcher home, Dowden wrote: “Thanks for the all (sic) messages over the weekend.
“Unfortunately, I was missing from the show as I had an unexpected Crohn’s flare up and hospital admission in which I received unbelievable care.
“I’m recovering very well and certainly being well looked after and look forward to returning to the dance floor.”
Dowden added: “Big thanks to lovely @saradaviescc and @tomfletcher for taking care of me (of all the days to be poorly, Ben was in Blackpool with the dance school).
“To the Fletchers who made sure I had everything and more at the hospital, have brought me back to theirs where the whole family are giving me all the love, care, burnt toast (Tom), unlimited supply of @mrsgifletcher clothes along with @tomfletcher sock choice you could possibly need, lots of drawings and pretend injections from my new doctors Buzz, Buddy and Max.
“Thank you, they really were sent to me.”
McFly singer and guitarist Fletcher, who has three sons with author Giovanna, became the eighth celebrity eliminated from Strictly during Musicals Week.
Dowden has continued to appear on the show during group numbers and other special dances but was absent over the weekend.
