Professional dancer Amy said ‘deep down’ she lacked confidence during the last series of the BBC competition
Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has made a heartbreaking admission about her return to the BBC show last year.
The Welsh pro dancer returned to the competition in 2024, when she was partnered with JLS star JB Gill, after missing the previous series due to her cancer diagnosis.
Unfortunately, Amy, 34, only made it half way through the series before she had to pull out due to a foot injury. She was replaced by Lauren Oakley who went on to reach the final with JB.
Amy is now waiting to find out whether she will be called up for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing, due to air on the BBC at the end of this year.
In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, Amy was asked about her potential return to the series. She said: “We are waiting to find out, fingers crossed.”
She said the decision is usually made during the spring, so she may not have long to wait.
Amy also opened up about returning to the series after treatment for her cancer, making a heartbreaking admission about how it really felt to be back on the dancefloor.
Amy admitted that she put too much “pressure” on herself and didn’t feel “confident” during the series.
“Last year, it was a lot of emotions, excitement but I think also pressure I had put on myself,” she told the Mirror.
“I think this year, I would be able to truly go in and enjoy it and I think that’s what I would be looking forward to the most.”
She added: “I really do truly feel like Amy again. Last year, I wasn’t confident in myself really deep down. I think I was still trying to accept everything. I didn’t look the same, with my hair growing back. You could see a difference in me.”
Amy also revealed that she had a conversation with fellow professional Dianne Buswell who noticed a difference in the dancer during the Strictly live tour, which followed the series.
“Dianne said at the tour rehearsals ‘we have got Amy back’,” Amy said. “She could see I wasn’t like that during the series. If I am back this year, I would just embrace and enjoy every second.”
Earlier this year, Amy, who also has Crohn’s disease, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to fundraising and raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, shortly after coming back from her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones.
After a mastectomy and chemotherapy, Amy announced in February last year that she had “no evidence of disease” following tests.
