Amy Dowden has reconnected with several of her old Strictly Come Dancing teammates, which has warmed fans’ hearts.
The 33-year-old dancer was diagnosed with breast cancer in May and has been undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy.
She has made no secret of her desire to return to Strictly, having recently disclosed that she broke her foot in a frustrating health setback.
Despite her inability to find a partner and dance on the ballroom floor, she has appeared in Claudia Winkleman’s section, dubbed the ‘Claudatorium’ by audiences at home.
Amy has also maintained contact with celebrity partners from prior years, such as Brian Conley from the 2017 Christmas Special and George Webster from last year’s Christmas Special.
Amy made everyone grin this weekend when she released a video with actor and comedian Brian, 62, and their romantic partners on Instagram.
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The trio wished everyone a Merry Christmas with some out-of-tune singing and loads of laughter in the absolutely wild footage.
Amy also said that she paid a visit to the Conleys for a Sunday roast.
Amy’s fans were in stitches as they commented.
One laughed: ‘this is so chaotic 😂😂’
Meanwhile, her reunion with children’s TV star George was far more relaxed, as they posed for a photo during the most recent live Strictly filming.
Amy was stunning in a blue gown as she placed her arm around a grinning George.
Her caption read: ‘Another night watching fabulous dancing with my sparkly boot and look who came to watch, the amazing George Webster!
‘Can’t believe it’s a year since we was training for our Charleston!’
Viewers were overjoyed to see Amy back on their televisions this weekend and praised her ‘dedication’ to the programme despite her recent foot injury.
After a challenging few weeks, Jessica was back with her Strictly buddies on Saturday night, beaming slightly behind Claudia as the couples received their scores.
‘Wow, so lovely to see the beautiful Amy with the rest of the pros & celebs she looks stunning,’ wrote one Strictly fan on X, formerly Twitter.
Wow, so lovely to see the beautiful Amy with the rest of the pros & celebs 😍 she looks stunning ❤️#strictly #StrictlyComeDancing
— Mich_xx_xx (@xx_Michelle_oo) November 25, 2023
So happy to see Amy there to watch Dianne & Bobby’s couple choice dance #Strictly
— Caroline N (@caroline_neill_) November 25, 2023
Amy Dowden glowing in the background 🥰 #Strictly
— David (@randomfurlong) November 25, 2023
Another person noted that she would be able to watch Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell’s special routine in tribute to Jade Goody: ‘So happy to see Amy there to watch Dianne & Bobby’s couple choice dance.’
‘Amy Dowden glowing in the background,’ typed another viewer.
Someone else shared: ‘Lovely to see the gawjus @dowden_amy tonight looking stunning in that dress. It won’t really be Strictly for me until you are back lighting up my front room with your smile and those eyes 🌹.’
‘Beautiful Amy having the courage to not wear a wig on prime time tv ❤️❤️❤️ All the love, lovely #Strictly,’ someone else said.
Another wrote that Amy being on the show so soon after finishing her chemotherapy and sustaining a fractured foot ‘is a testament to her dedication to this show’.
Ahead of her appearance, Amy shared her excitement, writing on her Instagram Story: ‘Here I come. Can’t wait to support and watch everyone.’
The dancer disclosed in a photo on November 15 that she had to wear a medical boot after breaking her foot.
While she had intended to join her fellow pros on the dancefloor this series after being unable to compete, her fractured foot prevented her from doing so.
She shared an emotional update, saying in a clip, where she looked more cheerful: ‘I’ll pop in and see the guys tomorrow, I watched some more dancing, and it’s definitely cheered me up.
‘I’ve not smiled since Tuesday and now I’m smiling again.
‘Just watched some wonderful dancing tonight and I’ll continue to do so over the weekend.’
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday and Sunday on BBC One and iPlayer.
