Amy Dowden will be returning to Strictly Come Dancing ‘full-time’ sooner than you would expect.
The Welsh pro, 33, has been unable to compete in the 2023 series due to a diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer earlier this year.
Amy is presently having chemotherapy after doctors detected further tumours, but she has maintained her positive attitude and has thrown her whole support behind her Strictly co-stars.
During Movie Week, the dancer made an unexpected appearance to spell out the terms and conditions, and she was greeted warmly by host Claudia Winkleman and her fellow professionals.
Dianne Buswell, 34, has revealed Amy’s Strictly journey is far from finished as spectators at home were left in tears by the momentous moment, which saw Amy boldly perform without a wig after shaving her head.
On It Takes Two with Fleur East and celebrity boyfriend Bobby Braizer on Monday (October 9), the Aussie actress broke out laughing as she mentioned Amy’s presence on Saturday.
‘It was so exciting to have Amy back with us. It felt like Strictly just felt right again,’ Dianne said sweetly.
‘I text her so many times to say, “I really miss you here”, and to have her there was very, very special.’
Dianne then teased: ‘She will be back with us full-time very soon, so I can’t wait for that moment.’
Fleur complimented how ‘stunning’ Amy looked as she appeared on our screens in a dazzling white gown.
‘She looked incredible!’, agreed Dianne.
Amy has consistently expressed gratitude to the Strictly crew for their assistance during her cancer treatment.
Paying tribute to the organisers behind the scenes on the BBC talent show, she previously said: ‘The team are being guided by me – they’ve been utterly amazing.’
Amy added that she was hoping to put her dancing shoes back on in the near future, saying ‘dates are in the diary’.
She said that her fellow pros have been sending presents and that she speaks to Dianne especially every day, describing the Strictly family as a ‘team’.
This weekend, Amy and Dianne joined It Takes Two host Janette Manrara at the Pride of Britain Awards.
Amy was commended for how she dressed her shaved head, having made the last-minute choice to go wigless on live television just one day before, following the sadness of loosing her beautiful locks.
She stole the show with a floor-length pink gown with ribbon embellishments, an homage to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday and Sunday on BBC One and iPlayer, while It Takes Two airs weeknights on BBC 2.
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
