Entertainment
Amy Dowden shares details about second cancer diagnosis
Strictly star Amy Dowden has revealed she came close to death during chemotherapy following her breast cancer diagnosis.
The dance pro, 33, has endured five rounds of chemo since she was diagnosed with grade three aggressive breast cancer earlier this summer.
She has also undergone a single mastectomy. But her first and second cycles of chemo resulted in emergency hospital stays and life-threatening complications due to sepsis and blood clots.
Speaking to the Mirror, Amy explained she is trying not to focus on the negative aspects related to her treatment.
However, Amy admits she has come to realise how serious the side effects can be.
Amy Dowden cancer latest news
Following her first chemo session, Amy said she “felt great”. She even went for a five-mile walk two days afterwards. But she later collapsed – and was rushed into hospital in an ambulance. Amy remembers being told by medics she had an infection. But the next day she didn’t respond to antibiotics and within a couple of days she was told she’d gone into septic shock.
“They said my blood pressure was that low my vital organs would have started failing. We met the paramedics a week later and they said if I had gone to bed that night I might not have woken up the next morning,” she said.
Amy bravely continued with her second cycle of chemo – but ended up in hospital again, due to blood clots in her left arm. Her arm swelled up, went purple and Amy was left short of breath. She also now has to take blood thinners for six months.
Doctors removed three tumours and further cancer specks, plus some lymph nodes from her right side, following her initial diagnosis. Amy also tested negative for the hereditary BRCA gene.
But within days, a second type of breast cancer was found in the tissue they removed, plus more tumours, including one close to her chest. Specks were also discovered in her other breast. They will be investigated when Amy finishes chemo.
The discovery proved a shock for Amy – and her doctor, who did not expect to find what he did. Amy told the Mirror: “I think I’ll have to consider another mastectomy.”
‘I don’t want to do that’
Additionally, upon hearing her treatment plan, Amy’s first reaction to chemotherapy was to turn it down. She went on: “I thought that’s Strictly with a partner wiped out, that’s my hair gone, that’s my life gone. I was like, I don’t want to do that.”
However, despite being “adamant” and going through a “meltdown” over chemo, she decided to continue after being reassured by her surgeon, as well as considering the reasons why she froze embryos with an eye to possibly starting a family with her husband Ben.
Read more: Amy Dowden takes on new TV role away from Strictly Come Dancing: ‘The experience was just brilliant’
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Robert Leigh is a freelance entertainment and showbiz writer for Entertainment Daily with 20 years of experience working for nationals titles and magazines in the UK.
Entertainment
John Sweeney real-life victims, how he evaded capture and where he is now
The horrific crimes that John Sweeney committed have inspired the new ITV drama Until I Kill You – which airs tonight (November 3).
The four-part drama follows nurse Delia Balmer’s terrifying experience with boyfriend John – who she later realised was a serial killer. Anna Maxwell Martin plays Delia, while Shaun Evans has taken on the role of John.
But where is John Sweeney now? And how did he avoid capture for so long? Keep reading to find out…
Until I Kill You: John Sweeney and his real-life victims
John’s first victim was believed to be Melissa Halstead. She was an American-born model, originally from Ohio, who struck up a romance with Sweeney in 1986. In May 1990, her torso was discovered in a Dutch canal.
In 1991, John met Delia Balmer, now 71. The pair quickly struck up a romance. However, his dark side soon came out and led to a series of violent attacks on Delia. During one attack, he told her he killed his former girlfriend – Halstead – and disposed of her body in an Amsterdam canal.
Delia – who was with him for three years – went to the police and reported the crime. Sweeney was arrested but, due to a catastrophic failure to realise how dangerous he was, he was granted bail.
While out on bail, in 1994, he attacked Delia again. This time, he held Delia captive and raped her for a week before attacking her with a hammer and an axe. She managed to survive the attack but lost a finger and sustained several other injuries.
He evaded police capture and disappeared.
While on the run, in 2000, he met and murdered Paula Fields. Her body, which was cut into six pieces and stuffed into holdalls, was found in Regent’s Canal, London, in 2001.
His gruesome crimes aren’t thought to stop there, though. It’s thought Sweeney may have committed at least three more murders as three other women who were reportedly in relationships with him have never been located by police.
Murders linked
Sweeney wasn’t able to be charged with the murder of Melissa Halstead until 2008, after advances in DNA testing.
The two murders were then linked in February 2010. As a result, police arrested him at Gartree Prison in Leicestershire, where he was already serving life for the attack on Delia.
How John Sweeney evaded capture
Following his attack on Delia Balmer in 1994 – which inspired the new ITV show – John went on the run.
In 2001 though, he was finally arrested at a central London building site, following the discovery of Paula Fields’ remains.
When cops searched John’s flat, they found 300 pieces of violent artwork and poems. They also came across a wig, collection of guns, ammunition and a machete.
During the 2011 murder trial, the court heard that John decapitated the women and cut off their hands in an attempt to conceal their identity. The body parts have never been found.
Where he is now
Sweeney is now serving a whole life sentence without parole following sentencing at the Old Bailey. He has been told he will die in jail.
Talking about the offences, Judge Mr Justice Saunders said: “These were terrible, wicked crimes. The heads of the victims having been removed, it is impossible to be certain how they were killed. The mutilation of the bodies is a serious aggravating feature of the murders.
“Not only does it reveal the cold-blooded nature of the killer, but it has added greatly to the distress of the families to know that parts of their loved ones have never been recovered.”
In a statement, Melissa Halstead’s family said: “The family’s hope for the future is that John Sweeney will never be allowed free to carry out such crimes again.”
Until I Kill You airs on Sunday (November 3) at 9pm on ITV1.
Read more: Celebrity Traitors bosses ‘sign up’ Daisy May Cooper and her brother for 2025 series
So what did you think of ITV’s Until I Kill You? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.
Entertainment
Real-life Delia Balmer on haunting lasting impact of years of abuse at the hands of her serial killer boyfriend
The real-life Delia Balmer from ITV’s Until I Kill You has spoken out about how she is still dealing with the consequences of her serial killer boyfriend.
The new ITV drama kicks off tonight (November 3) and follows the true story of Delia, played by Anna Maxwell Martin. Delia was in a relationship with now-convicted killer John Sweeney back in the 1990s. It was also based on the book of the same name, written by Delia Balmer.
But for the real-life Delia, more than three decades later, she still “cannot move on and cannot go further” following the ordeal she went through.
Delia Balmer in Until I Kill You
Until I Kill You is about Delia Balmer, an agency nurse who met Sweeney (played by Shaun Evans) in the early 1990s. The pair were together for three years before John confessed to killing his ex-girlfriend and disposing of her body in an Amsterdam canal.
“Sweeney is arrested but, due to a catastrophic failure by the court to realise how dangerous he is, granted bail. He immediately pursues Delia and subjects her to a horrific, near-fatal attack. She survives, but Sweeney evades capture and disappears,” the official synopsis reads.
It adds: “Shattered by the trauma and injuries inflicted by Sweeney, Delia bravely seeks to rebuild her life. But Sweeney returns seven years later and is arrested for the murder of another girlfriend in North London.
“Delia’s fragile recovery is shattered all over again as she has to face Sweeney in open court, her testimony vital to the prosecution case against him.”
Until I Kill You: Real Delia on life now
In an interview with ITV ahead of the drama airing, Delia spoke about her story being made into a TV drama.
In a candid chat, she opened up about the haunting lasting impact of years of abuse at the hands of John.
When asked what her life looks like now, she replied: “I am a perfectionist but my life is opposite of perfect. I often suffer from depression and anxiety, afraid of life and afraid of the future, a compulsive worrier.”
Delia has ‘pain for life’
The writer went on to share how fear has held her back “from doing certain things”. She said: “When I look in the mirror I see a stranger.
“Certain physical pain, I will have for life. I am stuck. I cannot move on, and cannot go further. Fear holds me back from doing certain things.
“I live for travel, but it is has also become almost my only escape from reality. Ballet classes have always been an important part of my life.”
‘My extreme anger remains’
Delia was also quizzed on whether she received any support in the aftermath of her experience. She replied: “I received 20 sessions from a clinical psychologist at a PTSD clinic.
“I refused to accept what was allowed to happen to me, and which was never acknowledged. My extreme anger remains.
“A counsellor, also chaplain of the Middlesex Hospital at that time, and another man from MIND were the most helpful. Several other counsellors, all female, were of little benefit,’ she added.
Until I Kill You airs on Sunday (November 3) at 9pm on ITV1.
Read more: Celebrity Traitors bosses ‘sign up’ Daisy May Cooper and her brother for 2025 series
Will you be watching Until I Kill You? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.
Entertainment
BBC viewers stunned as Sam Quek sent home after Montell dance-off
The Strictly results tonight (November 3) left fans stunned after Sam Quek found herself in the bottom two alongside Montell Douglas.
Both couples performed their routines again, with Sam and Nikita dancing their American Smooth to Love Story by Taylor Swift. Then, Montell and Johannes performed their Waltz to I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston.
After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts. Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Montell and Johannes. Motsi Mabuse chose to save Montell and Johannes. Anton Du Beke chose to save Montell and Johannes.
With three votes in favour of Montell and Johannes, they won the majority vote meaning that Sam and Nikita would be leaving the competition. Head Judge Shirley Ballas also agreed and said she would have decided to save Montell and Johannes.
Strictly results: Farewell to Sam and Nikita
When asked by Tess Daly about her time on the show, Sam said: “I’m gutted, I just want to say thank you. I’ve learned so much. Strictly has just brought that spring in my step back. It’s just been an absolute joy.
“Nikita, you’ve been key in helping me find that inner Sam that was there, who went a little bit quiet for maybe one or two years and has just come back. I’m gutted because I do feel like I still have more to give.”
Nikita said: “I’m just in awe of this girl. Sometimes they say it’s about the journey, not the destination, but to me it’s about the company. Sam you are the most wonderful company I could have had.”
Sam added: “I’m guilty of watching the competition and thinking how do they have that relationship as a celebrity and a dancer? All I can say is, the time you spend with each other and what you bring out in each other. It really is, and it sounds dead cheesy, magical.”
For all the latest Strictly Come Dancing news head to our dedicated Facebook page here.
Viewers react
“I’m sorry what! How did Pete and Wynne escape the dance off WTF!!! This is terrible,” declared one.
Another added: “I’m actually so annoyed at this??? Neither of the couples in the dance off deserved to be there when they’ve improved week after week and then there’s others that have had several bad weeks and keep sailing through.”
A third commented: “WHAT?! I’M FLOORED!! This has fully [bleep]ed me off actually.”
“WOW! This one has made me really sad,” another added. “This just proves that NOBODY is safe and votes really matter.”
“Wow, I didn’t see this one coming at all. I thought Pete might be at risk because of the mistakes. Never imagined it going this way,” another added.
“Really upset about this. Gutted,” another concluded sadly.
Read more: Strictly star Vito Coppola red-faced as Anton Du Beke points out wardrobe mishap
So did the right couple go? Tell us on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.
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