Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has shared an emotional and poignant update with her fans and followers after a night of mixed emotions at the National Television Awards.
A Night of Celebration and Disappointment
Amy Dowden was unable to attend the National Television Awards ceremony in person due to her Strictly Come Dancing filming commitments. Instead, her proud parents represented her as she received two nominations. One was an individual honour, while the other was for the hit BBC dance show itself.
The dancer's deeply personal documentary, Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, was shortlisted in the Authored Documentary category. The BBC describes the film as a powerfully honest account of her battle for health, a future family, and a return to dance after a breast cancer diagnosis.
She faced stiff competition from programmes including Molly-Mae Hague's Behind It All, Boyzone: No Matter What, and the moving There's Only One Rob Burrow. Following the ceremony, former Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague secured the win.
A Message of Gratitude and Hope
Taking to Instagram after the loss, Amy penned a gracious and heartfelt statement. She began by writing, "Huge congratulations to Molly Mae on your NTA win."
She expressed her honour at being nominated alongside such powerful documentaries and her immense pride in her own film. Amy explained that her decision to share her breast cancer journey was made to raise awareness, promote early detection, and offer hope to others going through similar struggles.
"An NTA nomination is just the icing on the cake," the 35-year-old added. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who voted and supported the documentary. Your messages, love and encouragement mean the world to me."
Family Pride and a Return to Strictly
Despite not taking home the award, the support from her family was the real victory. Amy shared a sweet snap with her mum and dad from the event, revealing a touching moment. "After this pic my mam just said 'tonight was fab but the best thing of all is that we still have you'," she captioned the post, accompanied by several emotional emojis.
Discussing her triumphant return to the Strictly dancefloor earlier this year, Amy had spoken to Lorraine about the challenges of recovery. "I've worked on my strength and fitness, worked on myself mentally and physically because cancer diagnoses are tough," she said, highlighting the often-overlooked reality of life after a diagnosis.
Amy has been candid about her fight with breast cancer since her diagnosis in 2023. She received the all-clear in February 2024 but continues to require monthly hospital visits for check-ups and treatment injections. In a further honour, her documentary work has also earned her two nominations at the Welsh version of the awards ceremony.
The latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, which Amy is part of, launched on 20 September. The show itself had a successful night at the NTAs, scooping the award for Best Talent Show.
