Strictly Come Dancing will celebrate Amy Dowden ’s return with a special quickstep group routine featuring the show’s professional dancers. The Welsh ballroom dancer, who first joined the cast of Strictly in 2017, was too ill to compete in last year’s series as she recovered from treatment for stage three breast cancer . In May 2023, the dancer found a lump in her breast the day before her Maldives honeymoon with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones .
She underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy and fertility treatment in those nine months and was eventually told she had “no evidence of disease” in February. As the show prepares to kick off again this Autumn, Dowden’s monumentous return will be marked with a dazzling quickstep choreography with Dowden front and centre. They will perform a medley of songs including Dua Lipa’s “Training Season”, Jungle’s “Busy Earnin’” and another of their songs, “Keep Moving”, as played by Dave Arch and his live studio band.
The routine will be choreographed by Jason Gilkison. The BBC has said that the “empowering routine will exude glamour” and it is the “perfect way to welcome Amy back for the 22nd series”. Speaking about her return, Dowden said: “I am so excited for every element of being back with my Strictly family.
I am so grateful to get this opportunity, especially as it’s such a special year for this legendary show.” “It feels like it’s my first year again. I’m buzzing to see the whole tea.