Joanne Clifton Strictly Come Dancing
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Former Strictly star Joanne Clifton defies doctors to dance again after painful diagnosis

Kevin Clifton's sister is ignoring the advice of her doctors

Strictly Come Dancing professional Joanne Clifton has confessed she’s worried she may never dance again.

Joanne, 37, won the 2016 edition of Strictly with Ore Oduba.

Sadly, Kevin Clifton’s sister has since been diagnosed with Osteoarthritis by doctors.

In order to rectify the issue, she needs a vital operation on her knees.

Joanne Clifton is ignoring the advice of her doctors (Credit: BBC)

Joanne Clifton worried she won’t dance again

However, Joanne says she is terrified that if she undergoes the operation it could ruin her career.

“I need operating on both knees because they’ve all worn away,” she told Express.

“All the cartilage and stuff’s got all holes in it and everything like that. So I need a little surgery on them. I just feel like if I do that I might not be able to dance the same again.”

Following her diagnosis, doctors had encouraged Joanne to put the brakes on her career.

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However, Joanne says she went against their advice.

Instead, she decided to push forward with a career in musical theatre.

“This is why I’m moving more and more into the singing and acting side, because you know that singing and acting doesn’t matter if you can’t really dance as much anymore.

Joanne has refused the surgery (Credit: BBC)

Joanne reveals BBC stand-in

Joanne went on to add that it was so bad in 2017 that the BBC had a stand-in for her.

“We were actually worried whether I could actually go on and do the final that year, they got the backup, I think it was Karen, to learn my routines ready to go on if I just couldn’t walk anymore.”

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She also revealed that despite strict orders not to go running, she hasn’t given that up either.

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