Strictly Come Dancing's Amy Dowden has bravely shared her cancer recovery journey and her anticipated return to the dance floor on BBC Breakfast. The Welsh dancing star joined Charlie Stayt and Rachel Burden on BBC Breakfast to discuss her new documentary, Strictly Amy: Cancer And Me, which is set to premiere on Monday, August 26. Amy decided to create the candid programme after witnessing the "impact" her previous documentary on Crohn's disease had in terms of raising awareness.
She reflected on the experience, saying, "I saw firsthand the rewards from that and I guess had I not done my Crohn's documentary, I don't think I ever would have done this one, I wouldn't have had the confidence." She continued, "I guess I was trying to turn such a negative, difficult period of my life into some sort of positive and thinking, well, if I can raise awareness that checking yourself and early detection can save lives, it's so important, and if 10 people watch my documentary start checking themselves, I might save one life." BBC presenter Rachel Burden shared her own reaction to the documentary, stating, "Well it'll be more than that, because straight away as I was watching it, I was checking myself immediately, it's almost an instinctive reaction, isn't it?".
Despite the overwhelming support and the sense of an "online community" of women facing similar battles, Amy acknowledged that the experience hasn't been without its challenges. Charlie Stayt slammed the "disgusting" comments online trolls targeted at Amy, about which she speaks candidly in her documentary. She responded: "It's not OK and there's no textbook on how to deal with any diagnosis, it doesn't have to be cancer or life in general.
" "You've got to do what's right for you. People shouldn't be able to hide behind a keyboard." She continued by sharing her own struggles: "I remember being so low and up in the middle of the night, because of the steroids I was on during chemo.
" "Just feeling so low and not being able to dance with my best friends on Strictly and some of those messages were just so hurtful, so upsetting." Her frustration was clear as she added: "You never know what someone is going through and I just feel there's not enough awareness out there, there's no punishment for anybody." "No one is learning, be kind, it's free.
If we can be anything in the world , be kind." Amy revealed her initial breast cancer diagnosis from May 2023, following the discovery of a lump the day before her honeymoon with Benjamin Jones. However, after enduring chemotherapy, Amy shared good news in February 2024 announcing "no evidence of disease" with her planned Strictly Come Dancing comeback confirmed for this year.
Reflecting on her return to Strictly, Amy lightened up: "That's what kept me going through all the treatment and everything, getting myself back on the dancefloor, I'm someone who needs a goal." "I have just been loving it, it feels like my first year again..
.it's my happy place and actually, since being back at Strictly, I felt like Amy again to be honest with you." "I'm just so excited to be back again, we've been working super hard for the series and I can't wait for everyone to see.
" Strictly Amy: Cancer And Me airs on Monday, August 26, at 8pm on BBC One..
