Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden may be facing her own significant health battles at the moment but that hasn’t stopped her determination to help others in her new show.
The 33-year-old, who revealed last year she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, fought hard to carry on with her series, Dare To Dance, after receiving her diagnosis and has now explained how her Strictly Come Dancing co-stars rallied around to ensure she could do what she loves.
Dowden sadly had to miss out on taking part in last year’s Strictly Come Dancing as she underwent treatment for cancer, sharing a heartwarming clip in November when she'd completed chemotherapy.
The Welsh dancer has recently revealed how she was adamant about not allowing her own heartwarming programme, Dare To Dance, to be cancelled.
She had been filming the second series of the show, which sees her coach deserving individuals through a dance routine, when she was given the devastating news about her health.
Reflecting on the show, she displayed her selflessness as she explained: “We started filming, I'd met the contributors and I'd taught them their first steps and then I, unfortunately, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Dowden was determined to film her series, Dare To Dance
BBC
"I was so keen to keep the series going. They had accepted the challenge and there was no way I was going to take this away from them.
"I wanted to keep every part of normality for me. It was my escapism really from reality and production worked so hard to keep it going for me.
"I had a couple of weeks until my mastectomy so we did all we could before my mastectomy and then after it, we called upon my fellow Strictly family and they wanted to do all they could to help me and I think the contributors loved the surprise of them coming in.”
Speaking to the Daily Star, she continued: “How could I tell someone I'm going to do their wedding dance and not be able to do it? It would be heartbreaking."
Dare To Dance will return next month
BBC
Dowden went on to credit her “amazing friends” and the crew for being able to complete the series.
“It was the tonic I needed,” she added.
The upcoming series of Dare To Dance sees Dowden helped out by other Strictly professionals Dianne Buswell and Graziano Di Prima, as well as two-time-winner Oti Mabuse, who has now left Strictly.
The group was on hand as Dowden met a young woman who gave up dancing because she’d started losing her sight and, as a result, her confidence.
She also met a firefighter who wanted to learn to dance, friends hoping to impress with dance at a Windrush Day celebration and a football-obsessed couple who have had to bring their wedding forward following a cancer diagnosis.
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Dowden enlisted the help of some of her Strictly co-stars
ITV
Dowden was diagnosed with Grade III breast cancer in early 2023 and due to her treatment, was unable to take part in her beloved Strictly.
The ballroom and Latin American dancer has been candid with fans about her health battle and frequently shares updates on social media.
Sharing on her Instagram earlier this week that her show would be returning for series two, she stated: “When I dance, I feel like I can overcome anything.
“It’s something I want more people to experience, I really believe it can change your life.”