Strictly's Amy Dowden awarded MBE by King in 'really surreal' experience

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has been awarded an MBE by the King at Buckingham Palace.

The 34-year-old, who has Crohn's disease, was honoured for her services to fundraising and raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease.

The Welsh professional dancer, who joined the show in 2017, revealed in 2019 she was living with Crohn's and spoke about her struggles living with the condition in a BBC documentary.

On Tuesday, Dowden said being honoured "hasn't sunk in yet" and that she was determined to continue her work raising awareness and funds for Crohn's and colitis.

She also said being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) was "really surreal" and "like an out of body experience".

Last year, she was taken to hospital following a Crohn's flare-up while filming the dancing show.

Dowden was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, shortly after returning from her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones.

She said she had spoken to the King about her recovery from cancer as well as the "impact of chemotherapy on my body".

The Royal Family has also publicly shared their cancer experiences, with Buckingham Palace announcing last year that Charles has been treated for cancer while the Princess of Wales revealed she was in remission from the disease in January after undergoing chemotherapy.

Trademark sparkle

Marianne Radcliffe, chief executive of Crohn's & Colitis UK, said: "People never used to talk about Crohn's or Colitis, but Amy has really helped to normalise conversations about these conditions by being open and honest, and adding some of her trademark sparkle.

"Every year, 25,000 people in the UK are told they have inflammatory bowel disease, and there will be many who feel less afraid about what lies ahead because of her work."

Meanwhile, composer John Rutter, 79, was awarded a knighthood for services to music.

Sir John is best known for his choral compositions - including Christmas carols, anthems and extended works - including the Gloria, the Magnificat, and the Requiem.

He has been commissioned for several major royal events, including Queen Elizabeth II's golden jubilee; Prince William and Kate's royal wedding in 2011 and King Charles' coronation.

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Another recipient honoured on Tuesday was Jasvinder Sanghera, who was made a Dame Commander for services to the victims of child, forced marriage and honour-based abuse.

Dame Jasvinder was 14-year-old when she was faced with the prospect of a forced marriage.

After leaving home, she went on to establish the Karma Nirvana charity in 1993, described on its website as the "first specialist charity for victims and survivors".

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