Strictly Come Dancing: Amy Dowden reveals second cancer diagnosis

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has said that she will not be competing in this year's series as she revealed a second cancer diagnosis.

The professional dancer, who is originally from Caerphilly, found out that she had stage three breast cancer in May.

She announced last month that she had undergone a mastectomy.

Dowden spoke with rower Erin Kennedy, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and has undergone chemotherapy, during an Instagram video on Friday with awareness charity CoppaFeel.

The 32-year-old dancer said: “I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment.

“And then, after my MRI, (the doctors) found another tumour so then it changed into a mastectomy and then, after my mastectomy, unfortunately, they found even more tumours.

“And my pathology wasn’t what we were expecting and then they found another type of cancer.”

She added that being told she needed chemotherapy was “scary” and a “massive blow” as the treatment had not been part of her original healthcare plan.

Dowden said: “For me, straightaway, (it) was just like my dancing, like you can take away my boob but you can’t take my dancing away from me.

“I was already upset about (it), and obviously, this year, it means I’m not (going to) be able to dance with a celebrity on Strictly but I’m in such regular contact with the team (and) the BBC have been just utterly incredible.

“We are just one big family and they’re going to be guided by me (and there are) so many ways to be involved in the show and I’m just staying really positive and hopeful that I’m still going to be part of the show in some way.”

Dowden said she is aiming to continue dancing and added: “The oncologist said to me (my) movement is really, really good for people on chemo, it’s important so that was encouraging.”