Strictly star opens up on Crohn’s disease battle in TV documentary

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Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden opens up about her battle with Crohn’s disease in a television documentary set to air tonight.

The documentary will air on BBC One Wales at 9pm tonight (Thursday, October 15).

The documentary sees Amy, from Caerphilly, look at the stigma surrounding Crohn’s, and follows her experiences of the living with the condition.

Crohn’s disease is a lifelong condition which affects the digestive system, and usually begins in childhood or early adulthood.

Amy, 30, said: “Although thousands of people in the UK suffer from Crohn’s and colitis, they are conditions that the general public don’t know too much about and medical professionals are still learning about.

“I was quite nervous to share my story and I think some viewers who know me from Strictly will be quite shocked by how much Crohn’s can affect me, but I think it’s really important for people to understand what Crohn’s means and what sufferers have to go through.”

Amy added: “In making this film I have met some truly inspiring people who haven’t let their conditions affect them and also learnt so much more about the disease.

“No one likes to talk about their bowels or digestive system but hopefully by normalising the conversation we can improve our understanding of this illness. 

“Crohn’s remains a chronic illness for which there is currently no cure, but I hope this film gives people the confidence to talk about these issues, believe that they can overcome their health obstacles and achieve their dreams.”

Amy was selected to star in Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, and has been one of the professional dancers on the show since.

During this time, she has partnered comedian Brian Conley, Red Dwarf actor Danny John-Jules and actor and presenter Karim Zeroual.