Strictly’s Amy Dowden leaves fans ‘sobbing’ as ‘inspirational’ star details cancer battle in emotional documentary
STRICTLY’S Amy Dowden left fans ‘sobbing’ as she detailed her breast cancer battle in an emotional documentary.
Professional dancer Amy, 34, was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer twice last year and opened up about her experiences in BBC One’s Cancer and Me tonight.
The Welsh star broke down in tears as she underwent her first chemo session on camera.
The heartbreaking scenes saw the ballroom expert emotional as she embarked on her treatment.
Amy was forced to withdraw from last year’s competition after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Taking a brave leap of faith, just six days after being diagnosed with the terrible disease, Amy signed on to star in a warts-and-all programme chronicling the uncertain battle ahead of her.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one wrote: “Tough watch, but what an inspiration.”
Someone else added: “absolutely sobbing at amy dowden’s documentary, what an incredibly strong and brave woman.”
A third agreed: “Oh my dear Lord, #AmyDowden is such an inspiration, Bless her heart. Am sobbing Xx.”
One more said: “Already crying at this #AmyDowden documentary.”
In one scene, Amy was seen comforted by NHS nurses as she cried: “I really don’t want to do this,” ahead of her first chemo appointment.
Speaking over the footage, she added: “You feel like you have no control over anything, that the one thing I could fight for was my hair.”
The dancer was then seen wearing a ‘cold cap’ – a medical device used to try and save her hair follicles during the treatment.
“The cold cap was a chance to try and keep my hair, a way of hanging on to the old me,” she said.
However, Amy explained that by the time of her second round of chemo that cap “started to get tough”.
“The cold cap has started to get a lot more painful, it’s started to give me a constant headache and pain behind my eyes this time, which has made me feel a bit sick,” Amy said.
Amy is making a full-time return to the Strictly this year after confirming in February that a new check-up revealed there was “no evidence” of the disease being present.
Strictly Amy's cancer 'nightmare'
The Sun's Jamie Downham takes a look at the beloved Strictly star's ups and downs...
AS Strictly Come Dancing viewers know, you’ll struggle to catch Amy Dowden without a huge smile on her face.
But recently the Welsh star – one the best-rated Ballroom and Latin American professional dancers the UK has ever produced – has suffered a string of “nightmare” blows to her health.
She was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May last year and underwent a full mastectomy, before having chemotherapy towards the end of 2023.
However, she later reported docs had found a clot on her lung, telling fans sadly: “Unfortunately I’ve had another nightmare this week.”
Nonetheless, brave Amy, seen here dancing with James Bye, made an epic return to Strictly the following month with an appearance that left many viewers in floods tears.
As 2024 dawned, she admitted: “I feel I was robbed of the year I had planned and reflecting for me makes me upset and angry.”
However, she was soon smiling again. Amy, her hair starting to grow back after her cancer treatment, was seen messing around with her co-stars Dianne Buswell and Vito Coppola on the Strictly tour earlier this month.
And despite another spell in hospital in February, she still mustered a cheeriness many would struggle for, telling fans: “The sun is shining – and I certainly can’t wait for Spring.”
And we certainly can’t wait to see you dancing again, Amy…