{"id":463263,"date":"2026-03-07T22:06:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T22:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/463263\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T22:06:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T22:06:13","slug":"strictlys-amy-dowden-on-becoming-a-mum-after-breast-cancer-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/463263\/","title":{"rendered":"Strictly’s Amy Dowden on becoming a mum after breast cancer diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Strictly stars Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu on overcoming the challenges they\u2019ve faced, supporting each other and going on tour<\/p>\n

(Image: PA)<\/p>\n

Strictly Come Dancing<\/a> star Amy Dowden<\/a> remembers the exact moment she knew she wanted to become a dancer. It was her eighth birthday and Amy, from Caerphilly in Wales, was holidaying at her grandad\u2019s caravan in Cornwall.<\/p>\n

She persuaded her twin sister Rebecca to join her in a disco dancing competition, and although neither of them had danced before, they won first prize. From that moment, Amy was hooked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved it. My medallion, the spotlight, the music, the attention\u2026 just everything,\u201d Amy tells Notebook. \u201cFor the entire holiday, I begged my parents to take me dancing. And from that first dance class, I didn\u2019t stop. I danced in the supermarket, in school and on my lunch breaks.\u201d<\/p>\n

The past 12 months have been filled with mixed emotions for Amy, 35, who joined Strictly as a professional dancer in 2017. Last September, she made her long-awaited comeback to the hit BBC<\/a> show after treatment for stage three breast cancer.<\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE: Strictly’s Tasha Ghouri breaks down as she recounts ‘hardest year of her life’<\/a>READ MORE: Amy Dowden’s devastating Strictly confession after cancer treatment<\/a>\"Amy<\/p>\n

Amy was forced to pull out of the competition after suffering a foot injury while partnered with The One Show presenter JB Gill(Image: Guy Levy\/BBC\/PA)<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The star was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and has kept fans regularly updated with her treatment(Image: amy_dowden\/Instagram)<\/p>\n

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate <\/a>or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.<\/p>\n

While she and her partner, former Apprentice star Thomas Skinner, were the first couple to be eliminated, it was a welcome return for Amy, whose world<\/a> was turned upside down when she was diagnosed in early 2023.<\/p>\n

In March 2024, after chemotherapy, a mastectomy and hormone therapy, a relieved Amy revealed there was \u201cno evidence of disease\u201d left. But later that year she was forced to pull out of the competition after suffering a foot injury while partnered with The One Show presenter JB Gill.<\/p>\n

In November 2025 she underwent her second mastectomy, this time as a preventative measure. In her darkest moments, Amy feared her cancer could mark the end of her beloved career, but after building up her strength she was delighted to get back to doing what she loves best.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter what happened in 2023 and 2024, I realised I wasn\u2019t ready or well enough to be on the show,\u201d she says. \u201cI either had to hang up my dance shoes or dig deep. So I worked hard to get my body back to where it was before.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter I finished chemo, I struggled to even walk up the stairs. When you\u2019ve had something taken away from you, you appreciate it even more. It gave me the confidence I needed and last year, I realised Amy\u2019s back. Cancer wasn\u2019t going to take dancing away from me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Amy<\/p>\n

Amy married fellow dancer Ben Jones in 2022<\/p>\n

\"Amy<\/p>\n

Amy is now preparing to head on tour with fellow Strictly dancer and close friend Carlos Gu(Image: amy_dowden\/Instagram )<\/p>\n

Amy still has regular check-ups, but after last year\u2019s operation she feels like she\u2019s \u201cclosing a chapter\u201d on a very challenging part of her life, adding, \u201cI can finally see a future ahead of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The star credits her strength and resilience to her mother, who despite battling breast cancer herself, \u201cnever let it define her\u201d. On World Cancer Day on 4 February, Amy expressed her gratitude to those who have supported her through her diagnosis and shared some clips of her journey, from her treatment and hair loss to returning to Strictly.<\/p>\n

While she admits it\u2019s not always easy to share her experiences publicly, she knows how much it can help others in a similar situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes sharing yourself at your most vulnerable is not easy, but I also want to show the reality and try to help others,\u201d she explains. \u201cSo many people have written to me saying, \u2018I\u2019ve been able to tell my little girl that Mummy\u2019s not well, but look at Amy \u2013 she\u2019s back dancing on Strictly again\u2019. And that means so much to me. I\u2019ve been on that other side, that daughter who has watched their mum go through it. I know how that felt.\u201d<\/p>\n

As she looks ahead to the future, Amy says she prefers to take things day by day, celebrating the little wins and how far she\u2019s come. And she has the same mindset when it comes to motherhood.<\/p>\n

The star, who married fellow dancer Ben Jones in 2022, was forced into an early, hormone-induced menopause at the start of her chemotherapy. Although the couple have frozen five embryos, it\u2019s not certain whether Amy will be able to safely carry a child herself.<\/p>\n

She says, \u201cObviously, there is a big, dark cloud over me. Will I become a mother? I\u2019ve wanted to be a mummy since I was a little girl. I was one of those girls who would always have a little baby Annabelle. And I have two gorgeous nephews, who I love to pieces. But we will cross that bridge when it comes to it and I will explore every option going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amy is now preparing to head on tour with fellow Strictly dancer and close friend Carlos Gu. Their show, which kicks off in May, is called Reborn \u2013 a poignant nod to how Amy and Carlos have both endured their own personal hardships over the years.<\/p>\n

Carlos, who was crowned Strictly winner alongside former footballer Karen Carney last year, has opened up about the struggles he faced growing up gay in his native China.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing LGBTQ isn\u2019t easy in China,\u201d he says of his home country, which doesn\u2019t recognise same-sex marriage or civil unions. \u201cI wasn\u2019t given the opportunity to really be myself. Growing up, you\u2019re fighting within yourself to find your identity, but here I feel more myself than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Carlos<\/p>\n

Carlos was crowned Strictly winner alongside former footballer Karen Carney last year(Image: PA)<\/p>\n

Despite being happily settled on these shores, Carlos \u2013 who learnt English by watching Downton Abbey \u2013 admits he\u2019s struggled with the UK dating scene.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s horrendous,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m so fed up with people saying, \u2018They will come when you least expect it.\u2019 I\u2019ve been least expecting it for three years! I find dating hard. I\u2019m not really sociable in the sense of going out to meet people, and online dating isn\u2019t working for me. Swiping is like shopping and I don\u2019t like that concept.\u201d<\/p>\n

Would Carlos, 33, follow in the footsteps of his pal Amy by dating another dancer? \u201cNo, dancers have never really done it for me,\u201d he sighs. \u201cI\u2019d like to find someone who can sing or play an instrument. I find that really charming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carlos, who joined Strictly in 2022, was also drawn to the dance floor from an early age. But he\u2019s got his sights set on singing.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy ultimate goal is to be in the West End,\u201d he says. \u201cI sometimes find dancing a bit restrictive. But with my voice, I can show another layer of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amy and Carlos have supported each other through their highs and the lows, and clearly share a touching friendship.<\/p>\n

\u201cCarlos cares deeply and when I\u2019ve been ill, he\u2019s been there in the ambulance with me,\u201d says Amy. \u201cHe\u2019s become part of my family. He calls my mum \u2018Mama\u2019 and dad \u2018Papa\u2019. He\u2019s spent two Christmases with us and has his own bedroom. It\u2019s like a brother and sister relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n

She adds, \u201cI just love how true he is to himself. He only ever does something that he is passionate about or truly believes in, and I think in this day and age that can be quite difficult to find.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giving a teaser as to what fans can expect from their show, Amy says, \u201cIt\u2019s a real celebration of everything we\u2019ve overcome and how we feel reborn in the last few years. We dig deep into everything we\u2019ve been through, but also how dance has been our saviour. It\u2019s emotional but uplifting, and hopefully it leaves people feeling inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n

See Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu\u2019s show Reborn from 30 May. For tickets and more information visit amyandcarlostour.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok<\/a>, Snapchat<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, YouTube<\/a> and Threads<\/a>.<\/p>\n