Amy Dowden says she won’t compete in Strictly Come Dancing this year due to chemotherapy

‘Strictly Come Dancing’ professional has been documenting her cancer journey after announcing her diagnosis in May

Amy Dowden has shared her gratitude for the kind words she’s received from fans after revealing more about her cancer diagnosis.

The Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer, 32, told fans she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer in May.

She underwent a full mastectomy to treat the disease shortly after.

Dowden had been waiting to discover what further treatment she’d need, having noted that chemotherapy would affect whether she’d compete on this year’s Strictly.

In an Instagram Live chat with breast cancer survivor and Paralympic gold medallist Erin Kennedy for the charity CoppaFeel! on Friday (21 July), Dowden spoke out about being told she’d need chemotherapy after more tumours were discovered following her mastectomy.

“For me my journey everything changed,” she explained. “I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment. But then, after my MRI, they found another tumour so then it changed into a mastectomy and then, after my mastectomy, unfortunately, they found even more tumours.

“They found another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo – for me that was a massive blow,” she continued.

“It wasn’t in the plan, originally – and I know the plan you can’t get fixated on.”

Amy Dowden (PA / Instagram / Amy Dowden)

Dowden admitted that she had reservations about beginning chemotherapy as she feared it would interfere with her dance practice.

“For me, straightaway, it was my dancing – like, you can take away my boob but you can’t take my dancing away from me and that’s what I get really upset about,” she recalled.

Though Dowden had hoped to return to Strictly this year, the effects of the chemotherapy mean that she will not return in a competitive capacity for the forthcoming season. She added: “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 – the BBC have just been utterly incredible.”

After the live broadcast ended, the performer shared an additional message on her Instagram stories thanking everyone for the “love and support” that has been directed her way.

Amy Dowden thanks fans for support after announcing start of chemotherapy journey (Instagram / Amy Dowden)

She wrote: “I’ll tackle this next step the best I can and very blessed to have the love and support of my family and friends along with you guys.

“The rest of the year looked very different to what was planned but hopefully I’ll enter 2024 cancer free and I’ll never take anything for granted and promise to live life to the full.”

Dowden joined Strictly in 2017, and has competed in every series since, reaching the final in 2019 with kids’ TV presenter Karim Zeroual.