Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has said she was “deluded” to think her life would return to normal straight after finishing breast cancer treatment. The dancer, 32, 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 she thought she would be back on Strictly “in no time” but was hit hard by the reality. She was diagnosed in May 2023, underwent a mastectomy, then IVF two weeks later before starting chemotherapy. After eight rounds of chemo, she broke her foot just days after ringing the bell, leaving her feeling isolated and lonely.
Dowden also struggled with the menopause induced by treatment, experiencing exhaustion, emotional lows and hot flushes. She said she went from being a super-fit young lady to not liking looking in the mirror. However, she was determined that cancer would not take away her dancing.
Thanks to IVF, Dowden has five frozen embryos, but her oncologist has told her it is too soon to consider pregnancy as the hormones could raise the risk of the cancer returning. She said she always wanted to be a mother, but her body needs to recover first.
Dowden made a short film called ‘Beyond the Bell’ as part of the Keep Ahead campaign from Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, to highlight life after breast cancer. She returned to Strictly in 2024 but had to withdraw in November with a stress fracture. She now believes her comeback was too early physically, though it helped her mental recovery.
Despite the setback, Dowden says she is fitter than ever and looking forward to the 2025 series. She added that her body has adjusted to the menopause, though she still gets the occasional hot flush.
