Strictly Come Dancing pro Amy Dowden has reflected on her 2023, admitting feeling jealous of other people celebrating their best moments ahead of the new year.
Appearing on Lorraine today (January 3), Dowden, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year, shared her thoughts about how her illness has affected her and her loved ones.
“At the beginning of the year, I had so many lovely plans,” she said.
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“I was on the Strictly arena tour, honeymoon planned with my husband and then within a day, when I got the news… it doesn’t just change during the treatment and surgery, it changes forever, it has changed me as a person,” she continued.
“My parents, my family, I see the pain in their eyes, it affected all of us, my husband, my lovely dance school and students.”
Dowden, who returned to the Strictly studio on the latest season and danced in the final group number, also battled sepsis and broke her foot last year.
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“I look back and I did find some amazing opportunities but also, I thought, I’ve had cancer, I’ve lost my hair, I’ve had sepsis, I went in to septic shock, I’ve had blood clots, broke my foot and you’re watching everyone else share these lovely photos and reels and I was a bit jealous,” she said candidly.
The dancer then shared her hopes to return to the upcoming Strictly season, set to air later this year, and revealed Hugh Jackman, Ben Shephard and Luke Evans would be her dream celebrity partners.
“I just want to get myself back on that dance floor and it would be amazing to win Strictly, but winning would be to be back with the gang, dancing, doing what I love, in front of an audience with the people I love,” she said. “I’ve missed it so much.”
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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If you would like more information or support about living with cancer or treatment, please click here for guidance from Macmillan Cancer Support, or click here to learn more from Stand Up to Cancer.
Further information about breast cancer is available via organisations including the NHS, CoppaFeel!, Macmillan, Cancer Research and Breast Cancer Now. Readers in the US may wish to visit the CDC or the National Cancer Institute.
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