A Heartfelt Tribute to a Beloved Friend
When Amy Dowden, a star of Strictly Come Dancing, shared her grief over the loss of a close friend, the outpouring of support from fans and friends was overwhelming. Her emotional message captured the deep sorrow she felt, as she struggled to make sense of the tragedy. “I still can’t quite find the words or make sense of it. How something like this can happen to someone so fit, so healthy, so kind,” she wrote. “A truly good soul.”
Few of the thousands who responded with heart emojis and messages of support would have known the depth of the bond between Amy and the woman she referred to only as ‘Bex’. In fact, Bex was Rebecca Jackson, a fellow dancer and devoted mother, who passed away at the age of 35 due to a blood clot. Her death came just a day after she gave birth to her second child, a son, adding an extra layer of poignancy to the tragedy.
Amy and Rebecca had known each other since their teenage years, both dreaming of careers in professional dancing. They were born just months apart and often met on the ballroom circuit, eventually becoming close friends. Their friendship was marked by shared experiences, including sleepovers at Rebecca’s family home in rural Shropshire, where they bonded with her mother, Anne.
Rebecca began dancing at the age of four, while Amy started later, at eight. Despite their different starts, both were naturally gifted. Rebecca achieved success in several national-level competitions before focusing on ballroom. She won multiple championships, including the British Dance Federation Star Championships and the Yorkshire Open. During this time, Amy often stayed at the Jackson family home, creating lasting memories with Rebecca and her family.
As they grew older, Rebecca stepped down from competitive dancing to focus on teaching, settling in Swindon with her partner. Amy, on the other hand, found fame on television in 2017. The two friends married just a year apart, supporting each other through life’s milestones. Rebecca married her partner, Sean Harper, in August 2021, and Amy followed suit the next July with a lavish wedding in Wales.
In between their weddings, Rebecca became pregnant with her first child, a moment that Amy cherished. She remembered sharing a room with Rebecca during her hen do and being excited about the news. Rebecca also supported Amy during her battle with breast cancer in 2023, with her family raising money for related charities and Rebecca herself making an 8-hour trip to visit her during chemotherapy.
With the support of her loved ones, Amy made a full recovery after a mastectomy and hair loss. She described Rebecca as one of the kindest people she knew, always putting others before herself. Among the images Amy shared, there was a photo from her hen do, where she was seen kissing Rebecca on the cheek as the dancer beamed and wrapped her arms around her friend.
Other pictures showed the pair in happy times, as well as practising their dancing together. Amy also uploaded an image of all the voicemails she touched upon in her emotional message. She revealed her phone’s voicemails are full of supportive messages from Rebecca, which she will always cherish.
At the end of May, Amy will again head out on her Reborn tour with Strictly alum Carlos Gu, which they first kicked off last year. This time, however, it will be without the support of her close friend Bex, who was giving right until the very end as an organ donor.
“She had just given birth to her perfect baby boy the day before, completing her beautiful family with her little girl 3 and her true love, Sean,” Amy said. She reflected on what she remembered and will particularly miss about Bex.
“What I loved most were our random, overdue phone catch-ups, where I always knew I’d never be judged, only supported and understood,” she said. “My sister said earlier how at Blackpool you were always more worried about me than your own dancing. That was you. Always selfless. Always thinking of others.”
And in a promise to her friend, she ended: “Bex, I’ll keep you close always. I promise to look out for your darling mum, dad, Sean, and your beautiful babies. Love you dearly, my angel. xxxx”
A friend told the Daily Mail that Rebecca’s family were “too devastated to speak at the moment”, but added that Amy’s post had touched them.
