Strictly's Amy Dowden admits 'I can't go through that' as she shares struggle with husband

Amy Dowden and husband
-Credit: (Image: (Image: INSTAGRAM/AMYDOWDEN))


Amy Dowden has admitted her body "can't go through" pregnancy at the moment, following the Strictly pro's battle with cancer.

Amy, 34, was diagnosed with grade three breast cancer in May 2023 after discovering a lump in her breast just before jetting off to the Maldives for her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones.

Initially, Amy hoped that surgery would be the solution, but doctors later discovered more tumours and "another type of cancer" during further tests.

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From then on, Amy spent the remainder of the year frequently visiting the hospital for chemotherapy, fertility treatment, and a mastectomy.

Her health struggles led to her taking a break from Strictly Come Dancing last year, after six years of participation.

In February of this year, Amy breathed a sigh of relief when tests revealed "no evidence of the disease".

While she won't receive the all-clear for at least another five years due to her hormone-fed cancer, Amy described the news as her "biggest accomplishment" so far.

Now healthier, Amy is set to return to the dance floor for the show's special 20th anniversary which begins this weekend.

Despite getting back into her professional groove, Amy admits there are still uncertainties in her personal life regarding starting a family.

In a recent interview, she revealed: "I had a hormone-fed cancer, so they needed to put me into menopause because my hormones were feeding the cancer.

"My whole body was feeding cancer. But also because I was having chemotherapy, and as amazing as chemotherapy is, it destroys a lot of cells in your body.

"Your eggs, your ovaries, everything can be damaged and not necessarily reboot again."

The dancer continued, explaining that while many have queried when they plan to start a family, her body "can't go through that right now".

Speaking to The Sentinel, she added: "You produce so many hormones when you're pregnant, I'd be at such a high risk of my cancer returning. Of course we want children, but we still don't know.

"There are so many options, which we're grateful for. With fertility and the pressure in general you don't know what someone is going through. People should bear that in mind. We need to educate."