Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden has returned home following her second mastectomy — just in time to cheer on her fellow dancers from her sofa, surrounded by family and friends.
The 35-year-old professional dancer, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, shared heartfelt photos from her living room, still wearing her pyjamas and with a lymphatic drain attached. Holding a cup of tea and a gentle smile, she wrote, “Home, resting up, still got my drain in but rrrrrready for the best entertainment and medicine there is for me… Good luck everyone. Cheering you all on from home! Lots of luck and love.”
Support poured in from across the Strictly family, including host Claudia Winkleman, who sent three red heart emojis. Amy later shared another photo — this time joined by her loved ones for a cozy group selfie as they watched the live show together.
Earlier in the week, Amy had revealed from her hospital bed that surgery had gone well, with her husband Ben and close family at her side as she recovered. “Lots of sleep and resting up,” she told fans, adding that “nothing is stopping us from watching The Traitors – keeping the tradition going.”
The beloved Welsh dancer has been candid about her cancer journey since the start. After her first mastectomy and gruelling chemotherapy, she suffered sepsis and nearly lost her life. In February 2024, doctors told her there was no evidence of cancer, but the all-clear won’t be confirmed for five years as she continues hormone therapy.
Explaining her latest procedure, Amy said: “This isn’t to treat a new cancer diagnosis. But after discussions with my medical team, we’ve decided another mastectomy is best. Once I’ve healed, I can’t wait to rejoin my Strictly family.”
Speaking at the Women of the Year Awards recently, she admitted she felt she had “let down” fellow cancer survivors after being eliminated early from Strictly’s latest series. “I really wanted to represent cancer survivors — and I feel like I’ve let them down,” she said. “I came back, got pulled out, came back again, and then finished last.”
Despite the setbacks, Amy remains the heart and soul of Strictly — her resilience, courage, and unbreakable positivity continuing to inspire fans around the world.
