From working as a professional on Strictly Come Dancing to starring in a documentary that followed her health journey after a breast cancer diagnosis 18 months ago, Welsh dancer Amy Dowden is a much-loved household name. After being forced to take a step back from last year’s show following treatment for the disease, Strictly fans are thrilled to see the 34-year-old back on the dance floor.
Find out more about Amy Dowden, her work, family life and her battle with breast cancer here.
Have Amy Dowden and her husband Ben Jones spilt?
No. The happy couple, who celebrated their second wedding anniversary in July, are very much together.
Amy Dowden’s husband
Amy married Ben Jones in 2022, two years after their planned date which was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. A fellow dancer, (apparently the couple were once British National Latin Dance champions), Ben is not active on social media, preferring to stay out of the media spotlight. However, he does appear occasionally on Amy’s Instagram post, where she regularly writes about her love for him. In a most recent one (October 13), Amy posted a photo of the couple together, writing: “My love, my rock, my husband! Love you xxxxx just a little appreciation post, helping and guiding me back on the dance floor.”
The couple own a dance school together in the West Midlands called Art in Motion which they founded in 2016. Both Amy and Ben teach private dance classes there when not working on other projects.
Amy Dowden on Strictly Come Dancing
Amy joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, becoming the first Welsh professional on the show. At the time she said: “I’ve grown up watching Strictly and I’m super excited to be the first ever Welsh professional on the show this year. Off the dance floor I might come across as cute, innocent and sweet, but as soon as I put my dance shoes on I’m passionate, I’m determined and competitive.”
Having had to step back from the show last year after undergoing breast cancer treatment, and then fracturing her foot, Amy surprised fans by appearing on the 2023 December opening night where she thanked the BBC Strictly team for supporting her through her cancer journey, writing on an Instagram post at the time: “You’ve helped me more than you will ever know.”
Amy returned to the show last month, where she is the professional dance partner to JLS star JB Gill. The couple have got through four weeks of the show unscathed, with 34-year-old Amy reducing the audience to tears as she dedicated one of their dances to people with cancer. The friendship between the couple is obvious, with Amy posting a picture of their recent dance routine on her Instagram last week, writing: “GRATEFUL and most importantly so proud of you JB Gill. Loving this beautiful journey with you!”
Amy Dowden breast cancer
Amy found a lump in her right breast in May 2023, at the age of 32. It was the day before she was due to leave for her honeymoon in the Maldives with husband Ben Jones. Having taken part in the cancer charity walk Coppafeel! the previous year, she had been persuaded to check her breasts regularly, which is how she found the lump whilst showering.
After returning from holiday Amy went straight to the doctor, where tests and a biopsy revealed she had grade three breast cancer (a faster-growing cancer that’s more likely to spread).
In an interview at the time, Amy said: "You just don't ever think it's going to happen to you. I hadn't thought it was possible to get breast cancer at my age. My mum has had breast cancer, but she had it at a later age, in her 50s."
Amy opened up about the three-hour surgery she underwent on her social media, saying: “I had a full mastectomy so all of the breast tissue has gone, and I had no choice because I think you can only have a lump if there’s a clear margin sweep, but unfortunately, I had more than one tumour. I had no option but to remove the whole breast.”
After surgery, Amy underwent six months of chemotherapy, which resulted in her making a decision to shave off her hair that had begun to fall out as a side effect of the treatment. In November of last year she rang the bell to signify the end of her chemotherapy, but will continue with treatment and regular health checks for the next five years.
Amy Dowden family
Amy has a close-knit family, including an older brother called Lloyd and her twin sister Rebecca, who was maid of honour at her wedding. In a recent interview with Good Housekeeping, Amy described her sister as being her “rock,” adding: “Rebecca is the one person who really knew what my long hair meant to me and she struggled that day, but she also helped me find pockets of joy amid the sadness. We had such fun trying on wigs together and when I made a surprise appearance on Strictly last year, it was Rebecca who encouraged me to ditch my wig and go bald. I’m so pleased I did.”
Her loving relationship with parents Gillian and Richard, who recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, is evident on her BBC One documentary Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me. In the documentary, which was aired in August, her parents are seen by her side throughout her diagnosis and recovery. On a Father’s Day post, Amy referred to her father as “a legend”, adding: “I’m lucky enough to call my dad the kindest funniest most humble human.”
Amy Dowden documentary
From just six days after her diagnosis, Amy agreed to let the cameras in and follow her breast cancer journey in a powerful BBC One documentary called Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me.
On August 26 this year, the day the documentary was aired, she said: “It was a tough decision letting the cameras in but I really hope it shows what living with cancer is truly like.” The hour long documentary shared Amy’s story as she went to hospital appointments, endured chemotherapy, had a party to mark shaving her hair off, went through fertility treatment to have her eggs frozen and returned to Strictly. It left viewers in tears, with many saying it has helped them enormously with their own cancer battle.
Amy Dowden book
In her book Dancing in the Rain: My story of hope, courage and resilience, Amy shares her personal journey, from her work as a professional dancer to being diagnosed with breast cancer. The book, launched last month on September 5, has already become a Sunday Times bestseller. On publication day, Amy posted an image of the book cover, writing: “Really hoping it helps others to keep pushing towards their dreams through tougher times.”
Amy Dowden charity work
In the King’s birthday honours list, Amy was made an MBE in June for her services to battling inflammatory bowel disease Crohn's. An advocate and ambassador for the charity Crohn's & Colitis UK, Amy was awarded the title for her work campaigning and fundraising for the cause.
Amy first revealed she was living with the condition in 2019 in an effort to help other sufferers. Having being diagnosed with Crohn’s at the age of 19, she has spoken about how her daily medication for the disease has affected her health, posting images to her social media of a puffy face, one of the side effects of the pills she has to take. In 2020, she fronted the BBC programme Strictly Amy: Crohn’s And Me, in which she spoke about her battle with the condition and met other people with Crohn’s to hear about their experiences.
As well as documenting her cancer journey on social media in a bid to help others, Amy is a supporter of numerous cancer charities, including CoppaFeel!.
Suzanne Baum is an award-winning beauty editor, with columns across numerous outlets, including the Metro, Women's Fitness, the Independent and Yahoo.
Having written about beauty for over 20 years, Suzanne regularly reports on the latest beauty news; from trialling out new beauty innovations and aesthetic treatments to writing on the best products for women and men. With a keen interest in mature skincare, Suzanne has written extensively on everything from the best products to use during the menopause to how to protect your skin from the sun. Having established an excellent working relationship with PR's and beauty experts, Suzanne is often the first to know about new innovations on the market and to report on them.