Amy Dowden has admitted she was 'deluded' to think she could return to Strictly Come Dancing immediately after finishing breast cancer treatment. The professional dancer, 34, said she hit an 'all time low' after ringing the bell to mark the end of her chemotherapy, finding herself bald, menopausal and too weak to dance.
Speaking to The Mirror, Dowden said: 'I thought my life was going to get back to normal. I was deluded. I honestly thought that I’d be back dancing on Strictly in no time and that my hair was going to grow back far quicker than it did.' She described the period after treatment as 'daunting' and 'difficult', compounded by being put into menopause.
Dowden was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, shortly after marrying her husband Benjamin Jones. She underwent a mastectomy, followed by IVF two weeks later to preserve her chances of having a family, and then eight rounds of chemotherapy. Just days after completing treatment, she broke her foot, leaving her feeling 'isolated and lonely'.
Despite these challenges, Dowden rejoined Strictly in 2024, partnered with singer JB Gill. However, she was forced to withdraw in November with a stress fracture. Reflecting on her return, she said: 'I went back to Strictly far too early last year because I just wanted to get what I thought was my normal back. Physically I wasn’t ready, but I thought I was.'
Dowden has five frozen embryos from IVF, but her oncologist has advised against attempting pregnancy for now, as the hormones could raise the risk of cancer returning. She said: 'My oncologist said he won’t speak to me about it yet. It’s too soon. My body has just got to recover first.'
Looking ahead to the 2025 series, Dowden believes she is fitter than ever and has adjusted to menopause. She is sharing her story in a short film called Beyond the Bell, part of the Keep Ahead campaign from Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, to highlight life after breast cancer.
