Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has credited her fellow cast members with helping her through her toughest periods, while pushing back at criticism from former professional Brendan Cole.
Support from the Strictly family
Speaking at the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards on Monday, Dowden described her bond with her co-stars. "The Strictly family are amazing. I still can't believe I'm part of this show I used to watch growing up and to be the first ever Welsh professional on the show, it's amazing," she said.
Dowden was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2023 and left the show to undergo treatment. She returned briefly in 2024 but took another break after collapsing backstage and injuring her ankle.
Early exit with Chris Appleton
This year, Dowden was paired with Chris Appleton, and the couple were the first to leave the competition. Despite the early exit, she said they remain in regular contact. "It's gutting leaving so early. I'm lucky to be back every week dancing, and I'm still dancing and seeing Chris so it's all good. I still speak to him every day," she revealed.
Response to Brendan Cole
Brendan Cole had recently criticised Dowden's performances, saying: "I don't think Amy's been doing a very good job for the last few years and she's been out first for the last few years. One can do the maths on that."
Dowden responded: "What more do we expect from him? Let's not give him anymore attention that he so desperately craves."
Giving back to charity
Dowden, a regular attendee at the Pride of Britain Awards, spoke about the importance of celebrating unsung heroes. "I'm really looking forward to celebrating the unsung heroes, those who do so much for the community, raise awareness and raise money for charities. They're the people that really make a difference - the people that need a spotlight shining on them," she said.
She also discussed her own charitable efforts, including dance lessons for communities and work with Crohn's & Colitis UK and Coppafeel charities. "Going out and dancing for communities, giving dance lessons. I do quite a lot for Crohn's & Colitis UK charity and Coppafeel charity," she added.
Dowden expressed gratitude to the oncology unit that treated her, saying: "I'm so grateful to the oncology unit, they kept me alive so whether it's going in to dance for those having treatment on the chemo ward. Just anything I could possibly do!"
