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Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has revealed she will be undergoing a second mastectomy after previously recovering from breast cancer.
The professional dancer, 35, was diagnosed with cancer in May 2023 and underwent a gruelling treatment programme including chemotherapy and a mastectomy, before revealing in February that doctors had found no further sign of the disease.
At the time, Amy explained that she wouldn’t get the official ‘all clear’ until five years down the line, and that she’d still need treatment.
Now Amy – who was the first to be voted out of Strictly this year with partner Thomas Skinner – has revealed that she is undergoing another surgery after consulting with doctors.
Taking to social media Amy wrote: ‘As you all know I’ve always been very open about my health and the care I receive. So I’d like to start by being clear what I am about to share is not to treat a new cancer diagnosis.
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‘However following a recent appointment with my incredible medical team, we’ve decided that I’ll be having another mastectomy this week. They’re confident that all will go well and I can expect a straightforward recovery.
‘Once I have healed I look forward to rejoining my Strictly family. Of course I’m going to miss not being there so much but I will be watching from home and look forward to cheering everyone on. Thank you always for all the support.’
Breast cancer symptoms
The first symptom of breast cancer that most women notice is a lump or an area of thickened tissue in their breast.
You should see a GP if you notice any of the following:
- a new lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast that was not there before
- a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
- a discharge of fluid from either of your nipples
- a lump or swelling in either of your armpits
- a change in the look or feel of your skin, such as puckering or dimpling, a rash or redness
- a rash (like eczema), crusting, scaly or itchy skin or redness on or around your nipple
- a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast
Fellow Strictly stars showered Amy with support, as Karen Hauer said, ‘Sending all the love,’ while Jowita Przystał also sent ‘lots of love’.
Giovanna Fletcher wrote, ‘Love you!!’ while McFly’s Tom Fletcher – who was paired with Amy on the BBC show in 2021 – wrote: ‘All the love to you my wonderful friend.’
‘We love you Amy,’ added Diane Buswell.
Amy previously revealed that the BBC show saved her life after a charity walk prompted her to keep a closer eye on her breasts.
‘Ultimately, Strictly saved my life,’ she told the Radio Times, looking back on the time when she worked with the breast cancer charity Coppafeel with her Strictly partner Tom Fletcher and his wife Giovanna.
In 2022, the pair hiked around the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales to raise money for breast cancer research, and that encouraged Amy to keep a closer eye on herself.
‘I was 32 years old. I was a physically fit dancer on Strictly, I’d just got married. Mammograms don’t start until you’re in your 50s. [But] I met some incredible people on that trip who’d had breast cancer in their 20s.’
She continued: ‘I was thinking, “I’m being a hypocrite, trekking to raise awareness for checking yourself and I don’t even do it!”’
So, she started regularly checking herself and a few months later Amy found a lump and was diagnosed with breast cancer.
In February 2024 Amy happily revealed doctors couldn’t find cancer in her body following treatment.
‘NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE! Words I dreamed of! My biggest accomplishment yet!’ she posted on social media, explaining: ‘I won’t be getting the all clear for 5 years especially with a hormone fed cancer. But it was all worth it. Words I never thought I’d hear at one point.
Amy added that she will ‘still need a monthly injection for five years and regular check-ups.’
As well as undergoing chemotherapy, in her documentary titled Strictly Amy: Cancer And Me, Amy revealed she was ‘put into menopause’ to treat the cancer, as it was ‘hormone-feeding’.
Amy, who’s married to fellow dancer Ben Jones, therefore decided to freeze her eggs before undergoing chemotherapy.
‘Your eggs, your ovaries, everything can be damaged and not necessarily reboot again,’ she outlined.
The dancer continued: ‘You produce so many hormones when you’re pregnant, I’d be at such a high risk of my cancer returning.
In 2023 Amy was left ‘unresponsive’ after going into septic shock following her first round of chemotherapy, leaving her close to organ failure.
Amy did start responding to new antibiotics, and later explained how tough it was seeing her parents and Ben’s pain afterwards.
She recalled: ‘I saw the pain in my parents’ eyes, and I don’t think they’ve been the same since.’
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