Amy Dowden’s return to Strictly Come Dancing after undergoing cancer treatment is set to be marked with a special dance.
The professional dancer, from Caerphilly, has not partnered a celebrity on the entertainment show since 2022, before she was diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year.
Dowden’s husband and family watched the routine being filmed at Elstree Studios in London.
The quickstep will put the 34-year-old front and centre of the dance floor in the show’s 20th anniversary year.
The celebrities taking part in this year’s series include actress Sarah Hadland, TV presenter Nick Knowles and Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean.
Amy Dowden. Pic: PA
But there will be two notable absences from the professional dancer line-up this year with Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima both left out amid a bullying row.
Pernice has been at the centre of allegations about his conduct, which he strenuously denies.
He said the allegations were “simply false” and that he was looking forward to “clearing [his] name”.
Di Prima was axed after he admitted kicking Strictly partner Zara McDermott in training once last year.
Dowden was made an MBE in this year’s New Year’s honours list for services to fundraising and raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease Crohn’s.
She said she was “so excited” to be back with her “Strictly family” and said it felt like her “first year again”.
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“I’m buzzing to see the whole team, for costumes, for dance routines, to meet the celebrities, the judges. Everyone’s laughing at me because I am just smiling constantly,” Dowden added.
“I’d like to dedicate this dance to my pink sisters who have supported me through the past year and to all those currently facing cancer.”
The routine, choreographed by Jason Gilkison, will include Dua Lipa‘s track Training Season, Busy Earnin’ and Keep Moving by Jungle, and Candle Flame by Jungle and Eric the Architect.
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