Amy Dowden was absent from last Saturday’s show after she was rushed to hospital, and in an emotional statement, she confirmed she wouldn’t be returning to the dancefloor this year

Amy had made a triumphant return to Strictly following her breast cancer diagnosis(Image: PA)

Amy Dowden is “uncontactable” after quitting this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, according to former contestant Sara Davies.

The 40-year-old Dragon’s Den star competed in 2021, and revealed during Tuesday’s edition of Loose Women that the Welsh dancer is “unreachable” after she stepped down from the BBC One show following an injury. The professional dancer was rushed to hospital earlier this month after collapsing backstage following the live show, and last weekend, Amy was replaced by Lauren Oakley, who danced with her celebrity partner JB Gill.

In an emotional statement, Amy later confirmed a foot injury was the reason behind her hospital dash, and she bowed out of the rest of this year’s series to concentrate on her recovery. During Tuesday’s edition of the ITV daytime show, Sara admitted she had sent Amy a text message but hadn’t heard back.

Amy was rushed to hospital following her performance with JB Gill (Image: PA)

“The thing with Amy is Strictly is her life. It’s not a job to her. It’s her passion, dancing is her life. And she lives for that time on Strictly and taking a celebrity through that journey. And to have it pulled away from her was devastating for last year. And I remember having to sit her down as that friend that kind of has to give you the tough love and say, ‘Amy, I know it’s your life, but it’s not going anywhere. It’ll be there next year. You need to put your health first. You need to go through the chemo. You need to get better. And then you can go and give Strictly your all,’” Sara explained.

She said Amy was prepared to take a step back from the show to focus on her recovery, and come back stronger next year. “I’ve got her teed up feeling, right, ‘I can do this. I’m just going to give it my all, getting better this year because next year I can do Strictly.’ And then there she was. And you see her every week. Having the time of her life. She leaves her heart on that dance floor. And then a foot injury,” Sara added.

Sara competed on Strictly in 2021, and has stayed in contact with some of the pro dancers(Image: PA)

Amy made an emotional return to Strictly this year after her breast cancer diganosis(Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)

The 34-year-old dancer was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and was forced to take a year-long break from the show following her diagnosis and subsequent cancer treatment. She made a triumphant return to the dancefloor this year, alongside former JLS singer JB, and was expected to be in this year’s final, but confirmed she would no longer be taking part in the show after her medical emergency.

“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,” Amy said in a statement on Sunday.

“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. 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… I’m sure at some point we will dance again JB.”