The professional dancer was diagnosed with the deadly disease after discovering a lump the day before her honeymoon.
The NHS has urged people to look out for the warning signs of a deadly disease after Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden faced yet another cancer scare. The 34-year-old professional dancer said she was left in “disbelief” when a scan this year had doctors concerned that her breast cancer had returned.
Amy was first diagnosed with grade three breast cancer in May 2023 at the age of just 32 after discovering a lump in her breast the day before her honeymoon. Despite surgery and treatment she was told two months later that doctors had found more tumours and another type of cancer in her body.
Luckily in February 2024 she confirmed she had “no evidence of disease” and it was revealed in June she would return to Strictly for this year's series. But this comeback was then cast into doubt after another cancer scare, which she shared in a new documentary called Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, set to air on BBC One tonight.
“It was a scare, such a worrying time,” Amy told the BBC. “I’ll never forget them calling me to say we’re sorry but we’ve seen something we don’t like the look of.
“I was in disbelief, I thought I can’t go back through this again, I can’t miss Strictly again. My whole family were heartbroken.”
The tests this year found widespread calcium deposits in one of her breasts, which doctors were worried could be the “precursor to invasive breast cancer”. Amy, from Caerphilly, added: “It felt crushing, I felt sick to my core and so many sleepless nights worried.”
Further tests proved that the abnormalities were benign changes and she was “so relieved it was unreal”. Now she is focusing her attention on her return to Strictly, which she joined in 2017, in the autumn.
Understanding Breast Cancer: A Common Threat
According to the NHS, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK. It is most commonly found in women over the age of 50, but young women and men can also be diagnosed with the disease.
Breast cancer can have a number of symptoms, but the first noticeable symptom is usually a lump or area of thickened breast tissue, the NHS says. Most breast lumps aren’t cancerous, but it’s always best to have them checked by your doctor.
You should also speak to your GP if you notice any of the following:
A Brave Heart: Amy Dowden's Story Unfolds
The Strictly Come Dancing star, 34, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May 2023 and in what became the toughest year of her life, Amy underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, fertility treatment and also almost died of sepsis.
Amy decided to let the cameras in to document her journey, with the film following Amy through several stages of her fight with the disease.
The film saw several heart-wrenching moments, including Amy facing her first chemotherapy session, the agonising wait for results and the TV star shaving her head as she tackled her hair loss.
Watching the scenes unfold, several viewers rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their admiration for the Welsh dancer, with several noting they were in tears as they watched her health struggle.
In one particularly emotional moment, the dancer breaks down in tears as she’s fitted with a cold cap ahead of her first chemotherapy session.
The star struggles to fight back tears as her mother and the nurses comfort her, with Amy sobbing that she ‘doesn’t want to do this’.
Other scenes in the documentary sees the Welsh beauty shaving her head before dancing in the garden, surrounded by love and support from her loved ones.
After her initial diagnosis, Amy faced sleepless nights after a second cancer scare in July of last year.
In the documentary, the star was told by her oncologist that they found ‘spots’ on her scan results, leading to an agonising wait to see if the cancer had returned.
However, luckily she was given the all clear as Amy ploughed on with her plans to be well enough to return to her beloved Strictly Come Dancing role.
In more uplifting moments, Amy became emotional as she rang the cancer bell in hospital after being given the all clear.
While the show also touched on her friendship with fellow Strictly star Dianne Buswell, as well as documenting the incredible support network Amy has including her parents, husband and twin sister.
The Scars of Trolling: A Dark Side of Sharing
But while Amy had great support from her loved ones and fans, the documentary saw Amy break down in tears while discussing the horrific trolling she received for sharing her breast cancer journey.
The dancer had to contend with brutal remarks from naysayers who branded her a ‘narcissist’ and an ‘attention seeker’ for publicly documenting her cancer.
Amy struggled to control her emotions as she told how tough it was to receive such harsh messages, admitting sometimes she ‘wished she didn’t’ publicly open up to fans.
She’s seen in her hospital bed as she shows her cancer nurse a series of messages from trolls, with messages calling her an ‘attention seeker’ for shaving her head in the garden, while some state she should have fought the disease in private.
Defending her, her nurse says that the trolls are probably people who just spend their lives trying to cause others distress, because that’s the kind of people they are.
In her confessional, Amy is seen looking visibly emotional as she reads aloud more of the messages, as she states: ‘There’s been so many times sharing my story where I wished I didn’t.’
She went on: ‘At the time, I already felt like I had everything about me stripped away, my identity…
‘And of course I would have done anything in the world to actually be not dancing in my front garden about to shave my head, but to be dancing with my best friends on Strictly. ‘
She added: ‘I didn’t even know what my outcome was. And for people to be writing messages like that, it already felt hard to even look in the mirror.’
Amy previously said of the documentary: ‘A year ago I was recently married and about to go on honeymoon, it was an exciting new chapter in my life, but finding a lump on my breast changed my life.
‘I never thought at my age I would get cancer and, despite having family members and friends who were cancer survivors, had no idea just what the impact on my life would be.
‘I’ve learnt so much about myself and what a cancer diagnosis means on this journey. I hope others find hope and strength from this film, and that it encourages everyone to check themselves, no matter what age you are.’
A Triumphant Return to the Dance Floor
The dancer is currently preparing for the upcoming series of Strictly after she was forced to take a break from the show last year.
After her breast cancer diagnosis, Strictly's Amy Dowden has been given the all-clear but treatment will continue for five years.
Gracing the This Morning set with hosts Craig Doyle and Sian Welby, she discussed her new book Dancing in the Rain and her BBC documentary, Amy Dowden: Fight of My Life. Amy shared her experience: “Thank you for having me, it's been quite a whirlwind of the last 18 months and actually yesterday my family came and watched me dance for the first time since and tonight the documentary coming out.”
She expressed her current emotional state: “It feels like a lot of emotions at the moment.”
Amidst concern from Craig who asked, “How are you?” Amy responded with positive news about her health: “I'm doing really well thank you. I still have my monthly injection and will do for the next five years but at the moment my tests are good, everything is positive and I just feel like in this last week being back at Elstree at Strictly, I really feel like the old Amy is back.”
In anticipation of the upcoming Strictly season, which debuts on September 14, Amy hinted at an especially significant dance number, reports the Express.
Craig praised her resilience and inquired about her comeback, saying: “When you describe this process and everything you've been through, it's kind of amazing that we're going to see you on the new series of Strictly. I mean, fair play to you, it's inspiring. You must be so grateful and excited.”
“Yeah and the Strictly family they were there for me every step of the way,” Amy said. “Yesterday, I can't say too much but dancing again a very special number and the boys came and picked me up at the end and run me off the floor. It was so emotional and so lovely. It was so surreal and I just can't stop smiling.”
Though keeping mum on who her celebrity dance partner is, Amy did encourage fans to catch the upcoming launch: “14th of September, we've been working so hard on the 20th year.”
Amy Dowden’s story is a testament to resilience and hope. Her honesty and vulnerability in sharing her journey through cancer has touched countless hearts, inspiring others to face their own challenges with courage and determination. It's a powerful reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope and light can always find a way to shine through.
