Strictly's Amy Dowden reveals new cancer scare

Amy Dowden was diagnosed with cancer in April 2023

Amy Dowden has said her return to Strictly Come Dancing was thrown into doubt after another cancer scare.

The 34-year-old professional dancer, who was twice diagnosed with cancer last year, was rushed back to hospital for further tests as doctors were concerned about abnormalities in her breast after a check-up.

She said she was "crushed" and had sleepless nights waiting for the news.

But when getting the all-clear from her consultant, Amy told him "we haven't had good news much, so thank you."

Her latest health worry was captured by BBC cameras filming Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, which documented her journey from initial diagnosis to her Strictly return this autumn.

"It was a scare, such a worrying time," Amy said.

"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."

Amy was initially diagnosed with grade three breast cancer, aged 32, in May 2023 after finding a lump in her breast the day before she went on her honeymoon.

She hoped surgery would solve it, but two months later was told doctors had found "more tumours" and "another type of cancer".

The Strictly star, who had a mastectomy and has spoken of the heartbreak of losing her hair after chemotherapy, made a surprise appearance on the hit BBC show last October.

Amy revealed in February 2024 she had "no evidence of disease" after a health check and it was announced in June she would return to Strictly's professional line-up for this year's series.

"I thought I'd just got my life back on track," recalled Amy.

Amy she began feeling sick after getting her second round of a chemo drug nicknamed "red devil"

She had just danced in front of an audience for the first time in a year when the results of her annual MRI and mammogram put her "back on hold".

Tests revealed widespread calcium deposits in one of her breasts and doctors were worried it could be the "precursor to invasive breast cancer".

"We're so devastated for Amy again," her dad Richard told the documentary.

"It's another blow, he added. "For us, it has taken quite a toll. I just wish I could have it all for her."

Amy, who is from Caerphilly, told the documentary the latest scare made her "anxious" and "brought back all of the memories" of what she went through the year before.

"It felt crushing, I felt sick to my core and so many sleepless nights worried," she added.

Amy has been in training with fellow professional dancer Dianne Buswell ahead of this autumn's series of Strictly Come Dancing

But the further tests proved that the abnormalities were benign changes and she was "so relieved it was unreal".

The all-clear has allowed her to focus fully on her return to Strictly, the BBC's flagship Saturday night TV show which has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons in recent months.

Two of Strictly's professional dancers - Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima - left the show amid allegations about their behaviour.

Pernice has denied any wrongdoing while Di Prima's spokesman confirmed the star kicked celebrity partner Zara McDermott once during rehearsals last year.

Amy, who joined Strictly in 2017, said returning to the dancefloor was one of the biggest motivations of getting through her cancer ordeal.

"I'm a proper family girl, I wouldn't have been itching to get through my cancer journey to get back on Strictly if it wasn't a show made up of pure love, joy and happiness," she said.

"For me, it's my happy place. My heart is so happy to be back.

"The support I had last year from the show was incredible, producers ringing me every single week to make me feel like part of the team because they knew I needed it.

"And when I was on the oncology unit last year, everyone was talking about Strictly - the nation loves it and it gives people something to look forward to. I felt so proud I'm part of that show."

Amy said Strictly saved her life because a breast cancer charity walk with Giovanna Fletcher, the wife of her dance partner McFly singer Tom Fletcher in 2021, prompted her to check her own breasts.

"To be back on the dancefloor will be super magical. It's the best show in the world and I pinch myself every day that I'm part of it."