Linda Nolan 'heartbroken' over Amy Dowden's Strictly exit as she opens up on her own cancer battle

Linda Nolan has been left "heartbroken" over Amy Dowden's 'Strictly Come Dancing' exit.

The 34-year-old dancer had to pull out of the BBC Latin and ballroom competition early after sustaining a foot injury and last year had to miss the show completely as she battled breast cancer and now singer Linda, 65, - who is suffering from a terminal form of the disease - has admitted that she can relate to her because sometimes things are just "not fair".

Writing in her column for the Daily Mirror newspaper, she said: "Just sometimes, there’s no way around it: life sucks. Cancer sucks.

"I say this because of how heartbreaking it was to see the 'Strictly' dancer Amy Dowden stand in tears among the cheering and clapping on Claudia’s balcony during Saturday night’s show.

"She had been forced to step down after falling ill the weekend before, and had just watched her celebrity partner JB Gill, and Lauren Oakley, the professional dancer standing in for her, get mega scores for a dance she helped choreograph.

"I watched her eyes dissolve despite all her best efforts to keep in place that fixed, showbiz smile I know only too well, and felt her disappointment and frustration. I’ve felt the same so many times. Behind the smile you’re thinking: It’s not fair."

Amy had been partnered with JLS singer JB Gill on the competition, but he will now dance with Lauren Oakley for the remainder of his time on the show.

The former 'Celebrity Big Brother' star was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 before getting the all-clear a year later, but in 2017, the disease had spread to her brain, bones and liver.

She noted that she just wants to be back to her "old self" again but knows that is not a possibility sp is just trying to embrace the "smallest joys" that life has to offer.

She said: "You want to be back to the old you again, but physically, and more lastingly, emotionally, you’re never going to be that ‘you’ again. Life can be good again, but it’s never going to be the same.

"But, and I have to force myself to remember this, too, some things change for the better. The empathy you learn, and the ability to appreciate the smallest joys - that’s new, and I wouldn’t be without it."