By Niomi Harris For Mailonline
Published: 09:17 BST, 6 May 2019 | Updated: 09:18 BST, 6 May 2019
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She shot to fame when she joined the Strictly Come Dancing professional line-up two years ago.
But Amy Dowden has now revealed that she's been hiding a secret battle with Crohn's disease, with the star speaking out for the first time so she could help others suffering with the illness.
Speaking in a candid interview with Hello! magazine, the dancer, 27, insists that she doesn't 'want any sympathy', emphasising that her condition doesn't 'define' her.
Honset: Amy Dowden has revealed that she's been hiding a secret battle with Crohn's disease, with the star speaking out for the first time so she could help others suffering with the illness
Opening up on why she chose to keep her condition from the Strictly crew, she said: 'When I got my job on Strictly Come Dancing, I didn’t want to be known as 'Amy with Crohn's'. I wanted to establish myself as 'Amy the dancer' first. But I've done two seasons on the show now, and I think it's important to speak out.'
She continued: 'It will be a relief that people will finally know, but I don’t want any sympathy. It doesn't define me, it's just part of me, and I want this to be a positive story.'
Crohn's disease is described by the NHS as a 'lifelong condition', which sees parts of the digestive system inflamed.
Among other symptoms, suffers can experience extreme abdominal pain, vomiting, exhaustion and diarrhoea.
