So of course I was going to be there for her when she needed me the most. I love her," Gu said.
Dowden reflected on the false assumption that finishing cancer treatment means the battle is over.
"I think people think that once you've rung the bell, your cancer journey is over.
I was stupid enough to think that, but it really, really isn't," she said. She restated her view on the long-term impact of a cancer diagnosis.
"Unfortunately, a cancer diagnosis is like a life sentence, basically. I hope me showing this starts conversations with people watching at home," Dowden said.
Gu admitted that seeing Dowden receive medical treatment while on the run was emotionally taxing.
"It was hard to see Amy have this treatment, especially when it came in our journey," he said.
He noted how physical fatigue compounded the hardship of watching her ongoing care.
"The longer you stay on the run, it's hard because you don't have enough sleep, you don't have good food, you're always constantly on the run," Gu said.
He concluded that Dowden's resilience ultimately inspired him to push past his own limits during the production.
"But what kept me the most sane, actually, is Amy.
She was the only reason that I coped in the game because there's a time I was like, 'I think I'm done, I can't do it anymore.
I'm struggling emotionally and physically'," Gu said. He also noted that Dowden gave him faith to persevere regardless of how difficult conditions became.
"She gave me the faith that I'm going to do this no matter how hard it is," Gu said.
Celebrity Hunted premieres Monday, August 3 at 9 p. m.
on Channel 4.
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Dowden has also confirmed her return to Strictly Come Dancing for the 2026 series alongside new hosts Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe.
