Amy Dowden has returned home following her second mastectomy, just in time to watch Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday night.
The professional dancer, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, has undergone extensive treatment including surgery, chemotherapy, fertility treatment, and a life-threatening bout of sepsis.
Earlier this week, Amy revealed she would be having a second mastectomy and has now shared updates from home as she recovers while catching up on the competition.
In one photo, the BBC star smiled gently at the camera, sitting on her sofa in pyjamas with a cup of tea. Another selfie showed her surrounded by family and friends during her recovery.
She captioned the post: “Home, resting up, still got my drain in but rrrrrready for the best entertainment and medicine there is for me…..”
Amy Dowden sent a heartfelt message to the Strictly contestants: “Good luck everyone. Cheering you all on from home! Lots of luck and love xxxxx.”
Fans and famous friends flooded the comments with well-wishes for a speedy recovery, including host Claudia Winkleman, who shared three red hearts.
Earlier this week, Amy gave an update on her health following her second mastectomy, revealing that the surgery had gone well. She shared a snap from her hospital bed, showing she even managed to catch the Celebrity Traitors final.
Joined by her husband Ben and family, she wrote: “Thank you for all the messages and love. Sorry I’ve not replied to anyone (only just looked at my phone). Surgery went well, lots of sleep and resting up. Hubby & family have been looking after me, and the besties have turned up with the goods—nothing is stopping us from watching The Traitors…keeping the tradition going.”
Support poured in from fans and fellow dancers alike, with Dianne Buswell writing, “Heal and rest up Amy,” while Claudia Winkleman and Ashley James added a string of love hearts.
She wrote: ‘Home, resting up, still got my drain in but rrrrrready for the best entertainment and medicine there is for me…..
Fans and celebrity friends quickly flooded the comments to wish the dancer a speedy recovery, including host Claudia Winkleman, who shared three red hearts.
Amy Dowden was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023 and has since undergone treatment including a mastectomy, chemotherapy, fertility procedures, and a near-fatal battle with sepsis. Fans and friends sent messages of support, such as: “Sending lots of love and healing vibes x” and “Hope your recovery is smooth and everything went well. Lots of love.”
In February 2024, Amy shared that doctors had found no evidence of cancer in her system, though she would still need ongoing treatment and would not be officially cleared for five years.
On Monday, the dancer, who was the first to be eliminated from Strictly this year alongside celebrity partner Thomas Skinner, announced she would undergo a second mastectomy. She wrote: “As you all know, I’ve always been very open about my health and the care I receive. I want to be clear that this is not a new cancer diagnosis. Following a recent appointment with my amazing medical team, we’ve decided I’ll have another mastectomy this week. They’re confident that, all going well, I can expect a straightforward recovery.”
Amy added: “Once I have healed, I look forward to rejoining my Strictly family. Of course, I’m going to miss being there so much, but I will be watching from home and cheering everyone on. Thank you always for all the support. Welsh love, Amy xxx.”
As part of her ongoing treatment, Amy visits her local oncology ward each month for monitoring and injections.
Last month, she admitted feeling deep sadness at the thought of “letting down” fellow cancer survivors after being the first voted off the competition. Speaking at the Women of the Year Awards in London, she said: “I’m gutted to be out of the competition because I really wanted to represent cancer survivors – and I feel like I’ve let them down.”
Amy gave a health update following her second mastectomy, sharing that she watched Celebrity Traitors from her hospital bed on Thursday evening.
On Monday, the dancer, who was the first to be eliminated from Strictly this year alongside Thomas Skinner, announced she would be undergoing a second mastectomy.
As part of her ongoing cancer treatment, Amy Dowden visits her local oncology ward each month for monitoring and injections.
Reflecting on her Strictly journey, she said: “I wanted Thomas to go far, but selfishly, I wanted to do it for the cancer community. Since my diagnosis, I came back, got pulled out, came back again, and then finished last.”
Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, less than a year after marrying fellow dancer Benjamin Jones. Although she received the all-clear early last year, her initial return to Strictly with JLS singer JB Gill was cut short after six weeks due to a foot injury.
“At the time, I just wanted to show what’s possible after cancer,” she explained. “Coming back onto Strictly and getting back on the dancefloor is a way to show both women and men that there is life after a cancer diagnosis.”