Dowden

CELEBRITIES have stepped out in their finery for tonight’s Pride of Britain Awards.

Looking sensational while hitting the red carpet, the likes of GK Barry, Amy Dowden and Helen Flanagan, Maura Higgins, Tasha Ghouri and many others have posed up a storm ahead of the emotional night.

The Pride of Britain Awards is an annual event that honours unsung heroes from up and down the United Kingdom.

The awards celebrate individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage, bravery, and achievement.

They are awarded to those who have overcome adversity or made a significant difference in their communities. 

Stepping out on Monday night for the event, many famous faces gathered at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

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Helen Flanagan left onlookers stunned as she wowed in a black and white ensemble.

The very chic gown she donned was black with white edging and accents.

Sailing down to the ground, the sleek fitted dress was adorned in sparkling diamantes that glimmered beneath the lights.

Helen wore her blonde locks in an up-do and posed up a storm with her hand on her hip.

The dress had an ample amount of drama to it, and sailed down to the ground, trailing behind her.

Love Island and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! beauty Maura Higgins stole the night in a completely sheer lace number.

Another Love Island alum, Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu dared all in a very risque ensemble.

The stunning star wore a cut out black frock, which bared her hips and midriff.

She looked sensational in the corseted black gown, which was see-through and left little to the imagination.

Though the dress was made from lace and incredibly fitted, Maura’s frock boasted of a huge billowing train which jolted out from her bottom.

GK Barry was one of the first arrivals of the night, and turned heads in a sexy black lace gown.

The lace dress featured a high neck and sailed all the way down to the ground.

GK, whose name is Grace, wore her blonde locks in a sleek up-do.

Another early arrival of the night was Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden.

The Welsh dancing sensation wore a striking purple frock for the occasion.

Ashley James was next to arrive, looking sensational in a metallic frock.

Posing for the cameras before heading inside to watch the prestigious and heartwarming ceremony, Ashley smiled as she displayed her stunning dress.

With a sweetheart neckline, the strapless silver gown had a corset-style upper and ruching on the midsection.

Love Island‘s Tasha Ghouri also brought the glamour on Monday night.

Stepping out in a strapless powder blue dress, Tasha looked amazing as she showed off her leg thanks to the thigh high split.

The dress had a drop waist and was ruched to one side, with the thigh high split showing off Tasha’s endless pins as the dress trailed behind her.

The Only Way Is Essex hunk Joey Essex also attended the star-studded evening.

He rocked a black suit with a white shirt, and looked ultra suave in the process.

Freddy Brazier and his pregnant ex-girlfriend looked content as they cosied up to one another on the red carpet.

He wore all green, while she opted for a lemon figure-hugging gown that displayed her bump.

Television starlet Carol Vorderman looked sensational in a sleek and slinky black gown.

Standing on the red carpet the former Countdown siren smiled sweetly as she showed off her slender curves in the understated frock.

Montana Brown channelled her inner autumn goddess as she wore a burgundy frock on the red carpet.

Looking amazing as she posed outside of the event, the former Love Island starlet held a black clutch bag as she rocked a neutral makeup look on Monday night.

Laura Kenny followed Montana’s lead in a wine-coloured frock.

The former professional track and road cyclist who specialised in track endurance events, showed off her toned pins as she posed on the red carpet.

EastEnders star Louisa Lytton made a statement in a fitted black dress, featuring a sweetheart neckline and red statement sleeves.

The stunning brunette completed the look with a red lip as she beamed on the red carpet.

Love Island’s Faye Winter wore a powdery lilac gown for the occasion.

The silk frock had a structured mid section, a lace upper, no straps and a mini train.

She wore her blonde locks down and in a wavy style, with her makeup kept glowy and bronzed.

Liberty Poole, also from Love Island, left little to the imagination in a plunging silver gown.

Showing off her cleavage, Liberty looked stunning as she wore the revealing dress with cutout sections.

Yet another Love Island alum, Gabby Allen, rocked a dazzling frock.

Showing off her slender figure, Gabby stunned onlookers as she pouted while donning a dark purple lipstick.

Emily Andre, Junior Andre, Princess Andre and Peter Andre attended the glitzy event.

Posing for a family snap on the red carpet, the foursome looked ultra glamorous and suave as she beamed for the cameras.

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Recent Love Island stunners Yasmin Pettet, Toni Laites and Shakira Khan attended as a trio.

Yasmin wore all black, Toni wore a white frock, and Shakira stunned in gold.

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has opened up about her cancer journey, admitting that it can be ‘very difficult’ and ‘worrying’ at times

Amy Dowden has opened up about a “difficult” part of her cancer journey, admitting it was “worrying”. The Strictly Come Dancing star was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023.

The Welsh dancer revealed she was initially scheduled for a lumpectomy after doctors discovered the tumour. This surgical procedure involves removing just the cancerous lumps and some surrounding tissue.

Cancer Research UK explains that this is often the chosen route when the tumour only affects one area of the breast. However, an MRI scan revealed that Amy, 35, had more tumours than first thought.

This led to doctors deciding she would need to undergo a full mastectomy. Speaking on the Breast Cancer Uncovered podcast, Amy confessed that making such quick decisions about your health can be “very difficult”.

She shared: “For me everything happened so quickly, at first I was having a lumpectomy and then after my MRI, there were more tumours so I needed a mastectomy, and all of a sudden you’re trying to make these decisions so quickly and you’re not really thinking rationally because you’re so emotional, it’s very difficult within the time.

“I do think it’s so important to be given all your options and to understand fully. I also didn’t know what I was going to wake up with, that’s quite worrying and scary as well.

“I didn’t know if it was going to wake up with it open or closed, I didn’t know if I was going to have an expander in, or an implant. Even going down to surgery, and I wanted the honesty, you don’t know what you are going to wake up with or what it’s going to look like.”

Amy’s cancer diagnosis forced her to sit out the 2023 series of Strictly following chemotherapy treatment.

In February last year, Amy revealed medics told her they discovered “no evidence of the disease” in her body, paving the way for her Strictly comeback.

She made her return to the programme a year ago, paired with JLS singer JB Gill. However, she was rushed to hospital in October, pulling out of the competition on November 4.

At the time, a Strictly spokesperson said: “Sadly, Amy Dowden MBE will not be partaking in the rest of the competition this year. While Amy focuses on her recovery following a foot injury, fellow professional dancer Lauren Oakley will step in as JB’s dance partner.

“The health and wellbeing of everyone involved in Strictly are always the utmost priority. The whole Strictly family sends Amy love and well wishes.”

Caerphilly-born Amy has made her comeback to the current series of Strictly, teamed up with former Apprentice hopeful Tom Skinner.

The reality TV personality said: “I’m beyond excited to be joining Strictly Come Dancing. I’ve tackled the boardroom and some big breakfasts in my time but stepping onto the dance floor under that glitter ball is next level stuff!

“I’ve never danced in my life (other than at weddings) but I’m ready to graft and of course have a laugh. Bring on the sequins, sambas and most importantly, the BOSH to the ballroom!”.

EXCLUSIVE: Amy Dowden talks about returning to Strictly, menopause, IVF and marriage to Ben as she discusses life after chemotherapy and finding her new normal

When she rang the bell to mark the end of her breast cancer treatment, Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden thought her nightmare would end. Instead she found herself at an “all time low” as she came to terms with her new reality – she was bald, menopausal and too weak to dance.

Amy told The Mirror: “I thought my life was going to get back to normal. I was deluded. I honestly thought that I’d be back dancing on Strictly in no time and that my hair was going to grow back far quicker than it did. I thought that I’d be back to the old Amy, and it hit me really hard. I was scared and petrified. It was a very daunting, difficult time as well as being put into menopause.”

Amy had been diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, less than a year after marrying her husband Benjamin Jones. She was 32 and preparing for a new series of Strictly. Almost immediately, she had a mastectomy, followed by IVF two weeks later to try and preserve her chances of having a family.

Amy said: “I started IVF treatment two weeks after the mastectomy. I was still recovering from surgery and then that was another journey. And then two weeks after I started chemo.”

After eight rounds of chemotherapy, Amy completed her treatment and rang the bell. Sadly it didn’t herald an instant change in fortune and just a few days later Amy broke her foot, compounding her fears she’d never dance again. Amy said: “A few days later I broke my foot. I felt more of a cancer patient than ever. I felt isolated and lonely. And I didn’t know what my life ahead was going to be.”

Menopause is a notoriously difficult time for any woman, but coming after chemotherapy, it left Amy exhausted, emotional and suffering debilitating hot flushes. She said: “When I finished treatment, I actually hit an all time low. I went from this super fit young lady used to the spotlight and hair and make up to not liking to look in the mirror. But also there was a voice in my head saying, ‘Cancer can’t take away your dancing.’”

Amy has always dreamed of being a mother and thanks to the IVF wedged in between her mastectomy and chemotherapy, she has five frozen embryos that could hold the key to her future happiness.

However, doctors have warned Amy that even though she’s cancer free, she cannot yet risk undergoing IVF as the hormones she would have to take could raise her risk of the cancer returning.

Amy said: “I always wanted the honour of being a mother. My oncologist said he won’t speak to me about it yet. It’s too soon. We were lucky enough to get five embryos, but right now, it’s still too soon. I only finished active treatment just over a year ago. My body has just got to recover first, hopefully.”

Amy is sharing her recovery story after making a short film called Beyond the Bell, which is part of the Keep Ahead campaign from Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, to shed light on life post-breast cancer.

While ringing the bell might appear as a moment of joy for people outside of cancer treatment, Amy wants to prepare people going through treatment for the reality.

Last year (2024), Amy triumphantly re-joined Strictly Come Dancing and was partnered with singer JB Gill. However, she was forced to withdraw in November with a stress fracture, and was replaced by Lauren Oakley, who made it to the finals with JB.

In hindsight, Amy realises her return to Strictly was too soon for her physically – though she believes dancing on the show was vital to her mental and emotional recovery.

Amy said: “I went back to Strictly far too early last year because I just wanted to get what I thought was my normal back. I needed it mentally to go back, otherwise I don’t think I would have ever gone back. I needed that normality. I couldn’t have watched another series from the sofa. It was killing me. Physically I wasn’t ready, but I thought I was. The BBC put so much in place to ease me back in gradually and I’m so grateful for them and they constantly had my best interests at heart.”

With the 2025 series of Strictly looming, Amy believes she’s fitter than ever and is grateful that her body has adjusted to the menopause.

She said: “I still get the occasional hot flush. This time last year it was really tough but now I really feel my body’s adjusted to it.”

Amy and Ben have just celebrated their third wedding anniversary and despite the traumatic start to their marriage, their love is deeper than ever before. Amy said: “We’re even closer than ever now, especially this past year getting our life back together, enjoying holidays and doing our house renovation. My husband said to me earlier this year, ‘I love my life and I’m really happy.’ It makes you realise how precious life and your loved ones are after a cancer diagnosis. We just enjoy every little bit of time we get together.”

Part of Amy’s new normal is saying ‘no’ more often and prioritising her recovery. She said: “I would always work myself into the ground. I wouldn’t take a day off. I’d run Dance Academy, I’d be saying yes to absolutely everything and I’ve learned that now, actually, I need time off to recover. I need a day off or I need to go and see my family. That’s what I learnt most about cancer – life is precious.”

Another unexpected side effect of cancer is that Amy has lost close friends who never reached out to her after her diagnosis, leaving her hurt and confused. Amy said: “There were people sat at my wedding six months before and I still haven’t heard from them today. Everyone deals with it differently, but it’s still very tough. So much has changed for me.”

However, cancer has brought new people into her life and her true friendships and relationships have strengthened. Amy said: “I learned who my true friends and family were and I only surround myself with them, that’s the new normal for me.”

Amy has shared her early breast cancer journey from the beginning, hoping her story helps others who are also affected by the disease. She said: “If a lady’s diagnosed with cancer she can say it, ‘Well, Amy got back on the dance floor or she can say to her little girl, ‘Look, Mum’s got what Amy’s got and she’s back on Strictly, she’s got a smile on her face.’”

While her recovery has been gruelling, Amy believes that she’s now fitter than she’s ever been. She said: “Everyone is different but actually I feel stronger and fitter than I did now before my cancer treatment. I’ve done that hard work in the gym and I’ve really loved seeing the differences made and doing one up on cancer.”

So it’s with an unflinching smile that Amy heads into this year’s Strictly.

While she dreams of being victorious and lifting the glitterball trophy with her celebrity partner, Amy admits just completing the competition would mean the world to her.

She said: “Watching your celebrity fall in love with dancing, that for me is a win. It would just be wonderful to be able to complete the whole Strictly series. I just can’t wait to just soak myself in all the Strictly magic.”

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