Amy Dowden’s surprising presence on Strictly Come Dancing elicited passionate reactions from viewers.
The Strictly professional, 33, will not compete this year after being diagnosed with breast cancer and ‘another sort of disease’ earlier this year.
Amy just stated that she had a mastectomy but hopes to return to the dancefloor as soon as possible.
The professional dancer was brought on stage on Saturday’s broadcast to spell out the voting terms and conditions for this week’s live event.
Amy, 33, snuggled up to host Claudia Winkleman after going over the events, who then inquired how she was feeling.
‘Amy we have missed you,’ she declared, before checking in.
‘I am doing really well,’ she replied.
‘I am now half way through treatment for chemo, but can’t wait to be back with you all permanently.’
The renowned faces and expert dancers stood behind Amy, applauding and shouting.
Following her appearance, several fans who were watching at home said they were ‘in tears’ witnessing her return.
‘The way I burst into tears when they brought Amy out,’ one fan shared on X, formerly Twitter.
‘Wonderful to see the beautiful Amy Dowden back on,’ someone else wrote.
Another added: ‘What a wonderful and emotional surprise to see Amy Dowden on the show. She’s all smiles in spite of what she’s going through.’
Many others said they ‘shared tears of joy’ seeing her appear, while others also gave her a fighting message to ‘kick cancer’s butt’.
Amy had previously stated that she wasn’t ready to shave her head and was ‘distraught’ over it.
However, a few weeks ago, she released a video of the momentous occasion while surrounded by her loved ones.
She wrote in the caption: ‘This too shall pass.’
‘Taking control- The hardest step so far. I tried my best to save it. I know it’s only hair but these past few months I’ve had what feels like so much taken away from me that has made me not feel like Amy.
‘I’m missing every possible aspect of dancing. I just wanted to keep my identity with my hair and I tried telling myself it wouldn’t go. But I would dread the pain of waking up to the shredding everyday.’
Amy explained that making the move had enabled her to ‘take control’.
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.
Strictly Come Dancing is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
