Amy Dowden reveals Strictly return will be ‘beautiful’ for her family after their ‘struggle’

Amy Dowden is set to give her first live performance on Saturday evening since returning to Strictly Come Dancing for the latest series. 

The 34-year-old will perform the waltz with her celebrity partner, JLS singer JB Gill, 37, following her departure from the show in 2023 after being diagnosed with breast cancer. 

The Welsh dancer told PA that her return to the show with JB is the “perfect comeback”. 

She said: “I think it’s going to be just really lovely (today), because it’s going to be beautiful for my family, because they struggled just as much as I did having to watch me go through it.”

Amy also revealed that watching the show was tough for her family last year. “It was a reminder of exactly what we were going through,” she said.

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“It’s going to be one big celebration, this whole series for me.”

In an exclusive interview with HELLO! in May 2023, Amy revealed that she had breast cancer. She said: “I’ve been through quite a lot in my life and this is another hurdle. But if I’m positive and strong, I’ve got a really good chance of getting back out on the dance floor as soon as possible.” 

In February this year, the Strictly pro announced she would be returning to the ITV show for series 22, revealing that there was “no evidence of disease” following a mastectomy and chemotherapy. 

© BBC / Kieron McCarron

Amy made her emotional return to Strictly last week for the opening episode, where she dazzled in a pink one-shoulder ballgown with a stunning feather trim. The colour held a special significance being the colour of the pink ribbon worn to raise awareness for breast cancer. 

The star performed a celebratory welcome dance with her fellow professionals, including a number with new dad Aljaž Škorjanec, who also returned to the series after a two-year absence.