Amy Dowden taken to hospital after collapsing backstage at Strictly live show

On Saturday night during the live broadcast of Strictly Come Dancing, professional dancer Amy Dowden was hospitalized after fainting backstage.

Dowden made her comeback to the BBC talent competition this year after sitting out the last season due to her breast cancer diagnosis.

A representative for the dancer informed BBC News, "Amy wasn't feeling well, so an ambulance was summoned just to be safe. She's doing much better now and wants to express her gratitude to the Strictly family for their support and care."

They also expressed, "We kindly ask that Amy's health privacy be respected."

The 34-year-old Welsh dancer was rushed to the hospital after an ambulance was summoned to Elstree Studios in Borehamwood during the performance.

A representative from the East of England Ambulance Service stated, “We received a call shortly after 9:00 PM BST on Saturday regarding a medical emergency at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood.”

An ambulance arrived at the location, and an adult woman was taken to Barnet hospital for additional treatment.

Dowden will not be appearing in the results show on Sunday night.

Last year, she shared her experience of coming close to death due to sepsis while being treated for cancer. Dowden mentioned that she felt she was "really unfortunate" to have developed the infection.

Dowden shared with Hello! magazine that just two days after her chemotherapy session on August 3, she took a stroll with her parents, Gillian and Richard. “The producers of Strictly were reaching out to see how I was doing, and I was sending them videos of my walk. I was amazed at how well I was feeling,” she mentioned.

However, once they returned home, her condition deteriorated, and her parents had to summon an ambulance. Gillian shared with the magazine, “Amy's symptoms escalated incredibly fast. One moment she seemed fine, and the next she was extremely unwell — it was a sudden change.”

She continued, "She tried to get up, but then collapsed back onto the couch."

Paramedics transported her to the hospital, and the Latin and ballroom dancer found herself in intensive care battling a high fever. It was there that she was diagnosed with sepsis, a serious and potentially fatal condition.

Sepsis can be fatal even for healthy individuals, but it poses a greater risk for those receiving treatments that weaken the immune system, like chemotherapy. Additionally, Dowden has Crohn’s disease, which is an inflammatory disorder.