Strictly star leads glam Pride of Britain red carpet as award show kicks off

The Pride of Britain Awards kicked off in dazzling fashion on Monday night as Strictly Come Dancing favourite Amy Dowden led a wave of glamorous arrivals on the red carpet. The 34-year-old dancer, who has inspired the nation with her brave cancer journey, looked radiant in a purple strapless gown as she became the first celebrity to step out at London's Grosvenor House. She was soon joined by internet sensation GK Barry, who turned heads in a sheer black lace gown while making her red carpet debut alongside her footballer girlfriend Ella Rutherford.

The couple posed hand-in-hand, sharing smiles with fans as they were greeted by cheers. Now in its 26th year, the Pride of Britain Awards celebrates ordinary people doing extraordinary things, with Ashley Banjo and Carol Vorderman returning to host. The star-studded ceremony is airing on ITV1 and ITVX at 8pm, with Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks fronting the YouTube red carpet stream.

Strictly's Amy Dowden looked stunning in a purple strapless gown as she became the first celebrity to walk the Pride Of Britain Awards red carpet. " data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Getty" data-licensor-name="Getty" /> Express Showbiz team will be updating this story with the latest information as soon as we receive it. For further updates, please refresh the page

You can also get email updates on the day's biggest TV stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters.

Get all the very best headlines, pictures, opinion and video on the day's top showbiz stories by following Express.co.uk every time you see our name.

• Follow Express on Google News - CLICK HERE
• Follow Express on Apple News -_ CLICK HERE__ available on Apple devices_
• Follow Express on _Flipboard - _CLICK HERE and click follow

You can also sign up for Twitter alerts for breaking news and all the latest updates by following @Daily_Express, or for the latest TV and showbiz news, follow @expressceleb

Keep up-to-date with your must-see TV stories, features, videos and pictures throughout the day by following us on Facebook at Express Celebrity

" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-portal-copyright="Getty" data-licensor-name="Getty" />