By Samantha Masters

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Strictly Come Dancing’s Montell Douglas has shared an update about her health journey after years of battling with painful periods. The 39-year-old experienced “excruciating pain” for many years, but struggled to pinpoint the issue, until a scary A&E dash sparked a wake-up call.

After fainting at home due to her hormones causing overheating and dehydration, Montell sought further help and that’s when she discovered she was suffering with dysmenorrhoea.

According to Mayo Clinic, dysmenorrhoea is characterised by throbbing or cramping pains in the lower abdomen, often occurring just before and during menstruation. It affects women differently.

Providing an update, Gladiators’ Fire said while she’s still “figuring things out” and undergoing regular checks, she’s currently “in a good place” with managing her symptoms.

“I’ve been given the options for things, and then I’ve gone with the option that suits me best and they’ve said that works well, and then I’ll stay on top of it. I’m in a good place with that,” she revealed.

Montell also has a crucial message for others dealing with similar issues, adding: “I’ve had assessments with them [Bupa] since, because it’s just important to have validation in your voice.

“‘I’m feeling this, is this OK?’ Like just asking questions, rather than being like, ‘Oh it’s normal, it’s fine’ and not even getting to that stage where you’re seeking help.”

Reflecting on a moment when she was left “on the floor” during training due to her pain, she added: “That’s not normal, you don’t have to just fight through pain. You’re allowed to validate your feelings, you’re allowed to feel that, if it’s too much, you [can] seek help and say, ‘I don’t think this is OK’.

“It really helped my understanding of being brave, I’m brave enough, you don’t have to fight through everything.

“It’s brave still to ask for help and find out what is going on with your body, because also it’s had an impact on other parts of me.”

She continued: “There’s different types of period pains that people have. There’s dysmenorrhoea and endometriosis but everyone gets diagnosed differently.”

According to the NHS, endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue resembling the womb’s lining develops elsewhere, including the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Warning signs can include lower abdominal or back discomfort (pelvic pain), excruciating period pain and discomfort during or following intercourse.

It’s advised to consult your GP if you have concerns.

Fortunately, getting the medication she required has enabled Montell to still be able to take on challenges such as Strictly Come Dancing, with Johannes Radebe, in 2024.

This year, she’ll be supporting him and his new partner from the audience, while her Gladiators co-star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey aka Nitro will also be taking part.

Not one to shy away from a task, Montell demonstrated her ice skating abilities in partnership with Disney On Ice’s Find Your Hero initiative.

From rapid-fire sprints and precise lifts to balance and agility trials, Montell and Zack George encountered a range of challenges crafted to test both their physical prowess and collaborative spirit.

During their quest, they aimed to evaluate their own heroic attributes alongside the Disney On Ice professionals and demonstrate that courage extends beyond the screen or sporting arena.

Montell said of her involvement: “As a young athlete, I was inspired by the people around me – coaches, teammates, and family – who showed resilience and drive every day. Taking on something new like skating with Disney On Ice reminded me how important it is to embrace challenges, even if you stumble along the way. That’s where teamwork and kindness come in – being there for each other, lifting each other up, and remembering to be kind to yourself too.

“It might seem small, but kindness can completely change how someone feels, and that’s a real superpower.”

Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero skates into the UK from the 29th October 2025 – 4th January 2026, where audiences will discover what it truly means to be a hero, as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and friends from the Disney Kingdom come together to bring timeless tales to life. The show will be visiting Birmingham, Nottingham, Newcastle, Aberdeen, Belfast, Manchester, Sheffield and London, with tickets on sale now at www.disneyonice.co.uk.