Amy Dowden reveals second cancer diagnosis as she provides Strictly update

By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

Amy Dowden has revealed that doctors have found “more tumours” and “another type of cancer” which means she will not compete on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The 32-year-old professional dancer – who was a finalist on the BBC celebrity competition four years ago with presenter Karim Zeroual – found out in May that she had stage three breast cancer.

She announced last month that she had undergone a mastectomy.

Dowden spoke with rower Erin Kennedy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and has undergone chemotherapy, during an Instagram video on Friday with awareness charity CoppaFeel.

The Welsh ballroom and Latin American dancer said: “I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment.

“And then, after my MRI, (the doctors) found another tumour so then it changed into a mastectomy and then, after my mastectomy, unfortunately, they found even more tumours.

“And my pathology wasn’t what we were expecting and then they found another type of cancer.”

She added that being told she needed chemotherapy was “scary” and a “massive blow” as the treatment had not been part of her original healthcare plan.

Dowden said: “For me, straightaway, (it) was just like my dancing, like you can take away my boob but you can’t take my dancing away from me.

“I was already upset about (it), and obviously, this year, it means I’m not (going to) be able to dance with a celebrity on Strictly but I’m in such regular contact with the team (and) the BBC have been just utterly incredible.

“We are just one big family and they’re going to be guided by me (and there are) so many ways to be involved in the show and I’m just staying really positive and hopeful that I’m still going to be part of the show in some way.”

Dowden said she is aiming to continue dancing and added: “The oncologist said to me (my) movement is really, really good for people on chemo, it’s important so that was encouraging.”

The Caerphilly-born dancer who joined the BBC show in 2017, also said: “I’m determined to continue in a healthy way and, as much as I can, continuing to be Amy.”

She revealed to Hello! magazine she had found a lump in her breast the day before she planned to go on a belated honeymoon with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones in April.

The couple got married in July 2022.