Amy Dowden, the beloved Strictly Come Dancing professional, is set to appear on Celebrity Hunted, swapping the dance floor for a high-stakes chase to raise funds for Stand Up to Cancer. The show airs tonight, Monday, August 3, at 9pm on Channel 4, featuring 12 celebrities trying to evade capture from the Hunters. Amy is partnered with last year's winning Strictly professional, Carlos Gu.
Health Journey and Cancer Battle
Amy, originally from Caerphilly, Wales, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer at age 32 in 2023. She underwent chemotherapy and two mastectomies, the most recent in November last year. In 2024, she announced there was "no evidence of disease," calling it her "biggest accomplishment yet." Recently, she marked three years since her first mastectomy with photos from Ibiza.
In an Instagram post, Amy reflected: "Three years ago today, I had just recently just my breast removed [sic] and was currently undergoing fertility treatment before starting chemotherapy. I was terrified, not only of the treatment itself, but of being thrown into a forced menopause because my cancer is hormone-fed. Fast forward exactly three years, and my perspective on life has completely changed. I live each day to the fullest, with so much gratitude for the little things I once took for granted. I know how lucky I am, and I never lose sight of that. Every day is a gift, and I'm determined to make the most of it. Here's to resilience, hope, and celebrating every milestone."
Marriage to Ben Jones
Amy is married to fellow professional dancer Ben Jones, whom she met in 2011. The couple made history in 2016 as the first all-British pairing to win the British National Latin Dance champions title in over 30 years. After getting engaged on New Year's Eve 2017, they married in 2022 on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, after a pandemic delay. Together, they run the Art in Motion dance school in Dudley, West Midlands.
Family Hopes and Fertility Struggles
Amy experienced an early, medically-induced menopause due to chemotherapy. She and Ben have preserved embryos, but it's uncertain if she can carry a pregnancy. Speaking to OK magazine, she said: "Obviously, there is a big, dark cloud over me. Will I become a mother? I've wanted to be a mummy since I was a little girl. I was one of those girls who would always have a little baby Annabelle. And I have two gorgeous nephews, who I love to pieces. But we will cross that bridge when it comes to it and I will explore every option going."
Family History Revealed
On BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? earlier this year, medical historian Dr Agnes Arnold-Forster revealed that Amy's paternal great-grandmother Louisa also had breast cancer, dying from it at age 39 in 1921. Amy told Radio Times: "It took me back to being diagnosed with cancer myself. Agnes told me that cancer was incurable back then, so Louisa had to endure breast cancer without access to chemo or any modern medicine. It made me even more grateful for the NHS."
Celebrity Hunted airs tonight, Monday, August 3, at 9pm on Channel 4.
