Professional Amy Dowden thoroughly discusses vile comments from trolls as she battles Crohn’s disease

Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden discussed the vile comments she’s received from trolls throughout her career as she battles Crohn’s disease on Wednesday.

The professional dancer, 32, revealed that she was subjected to physical shame from a young age, as she suffered from symptoms and medications that changed her appearance.

Presented on her new BBC podcast Body Shaming and Me, Amy said she ‘wanted to run away and cry’ rather than dance because of the comments about her looks.

Amy, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 11, explained, “I take eight steroids a day to keep me out of the hospital. When people on the internet say “she has thunder thighs,” it hurts.

The dancer recalled an incident when she was 19 or 20, and said it took her a lot of time to get her on the dance floor because she suffered from bloating from the medication.

“I remember walking on the floor and this professional dancer exclaiming ‘she’s got a fat ass’ and a ‘thick midsection’ – well, that’s the polite way to say it. That comment has stayed with me for the rest of my life and when I use steroids it’s the first thing I hear.

Amy continued: ‘She didn’t know what I’d been through and instead of dancing I just wanted to run and cry. I went through the dance but that lady didn’t realize that line she said, I’m still talking about it now over 10 years later.

Sometimes they can be ignorant or suspicious, but when someone criticizes your appearance for being sick, it’s even more damaging.

The NHS has described Crohn’s disease as a “lifelong condition”, which sees parts of the digestive system become inflamed.

Among other symptoms, the sufferer can experience severe abdominal pain, vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea.

Amy rose to fame when she joined the professional Strictly Come Dancing line-up two years ago.

And in 2019 she revealed she’s been hiding a secret battle with Crohn’s disease, which the star spoke out for the first time so she could help others suffering from the disease.

Speaking in a candid interview with Hello! In a magazine at the time, the dancer insisted she did not “want any sympathy”, emphasizing that her condition was not “defining” her.

When opening up about why she chose to keep her status 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 be the Emmy Dancer first. But I’ve had two seasons on the show now, and I think it’s important to speak out.

She continued, “It would be a relief if people finally know, but I don’t want any sympathy.” It doesn’t define me, it’s just a part of me, and I want this to be a positive story.