Amy Dowden: From Cancer Survivor to ‘Stronger Version’ of Herself as She Returns to Strictly

A Journey of Resilience

Amy Dowden, the 34-year-old professional ballroom and Latin American dancer and Strictly Come Dancing regular, faced a life-changing diagnosis in 2023 when she discovered grade three breast cancer, finding a lump just before her honeymoon.

Her subsequent journey included a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and several challenging complications, including sepsis after her first round of chemotherapy and a blood clot on her lung as a side effect of her cancer.

Triumph Over Adversity

In a significant milestone, Dowden received positive news in February 2024 when her latest health check showed “no evidence of disease.” However, her path to recovery hasn’t been without its challenges. “I thought my life was going to get back to normal,” she admitted, calling herself “deluded” for thinking she’d quickly return to dancing on Strictly, only to discover that returning to her old self would take more time than anticipated.

2025: A New Chapter

Dowden has now been confirmed to return for Strictly Come Dancing’s 2025 series, joining a lineup that includes last year’s winner Dianne Buswell, who triumphed with blind comedian Chris McCausland. Reflecting on her journey, the Welsh dancer acknowledges the importance of being kinder to herself in recovery, stating, “I feel like Amy’s back, but actually a newer, stronger version of me and I’m really grateful to be in this position.”

As the new series approaches, Dowden reports feeling fitter than ever and ready to return to the dancefloor, with the BBC having put measures in place to ease her back gradually, always keeping her best interests at heart.