Amy Dowden admits to feeling 'bitter' about 2023 as she reflects on 'life-changing' cancer diagnosis

BANG Showbiz

3 January 2024 at 5:30 am·2-min read

Amy Dowden's life has been "changed forever" because of her cancer diagnosis.

The 33-year-old dancer - who is best known as a professional on 'Strictly Come Dancing' - was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 shortly after she tied the knot with Benjamin Jones and has now completed treatment but admitted to feeling "bitter" when she saw others sharing their reflective social media posts on New Year's Eve.

Speaking on ITV1's 'Lorraine', she said: "On New Year's Eve when you see everyone's posts about the year, I was actually quite bitter. At the beginning of the year, I had so many lovely plans, I was on the 'Strictly' arena tour and I had my honeymoon planned with my husband, and then within a day when I got the news...your life doesn't just change during the treatment or the surgery. It changes forever. It has changed me as a person. My parents, my family, I see the pain in their eyes, the worry.

"It affected all of us. my husband. My lovely dance school children. When I looked back, I had some amazing opportunities but I thought 'I've had cancer, I've lost my hair, I've lost my boob. I've had sepsis, I've had blood clots, broke my foot' and you're watching everyone else share these lovely photos and I was jealous!"

In terms of 2024, Amy went on to share her hopes that she is back "doing what she loves" because she has "missed" it so much and admitted she would love to be paired up with 'Wolverine' actor Hugh Jackman, 'Tipping Point' host Ben Shephard or fellow Welsh star Luke Evans if any of them were to agree to a stint on the competition.

"I just want to get myself back on that dance floor and I would love, it would be amazing to win, but winning will just be being back with the gang doing what I love. I've missed it so much."

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