Strictly star Amy Dowden not bitter after most cancers

Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has spoken about her most cancers journey and her return to the dance ground as she prepares to go on tour – and revealed the private motto that helped her preserve going via her therapy.

The performer has described how dancing made her who she is at present – and given her the fervour and drive to deal with therapy that was tougher than she imagined.

“Dancing is my life. It is all the things,” the Caerphilly-born dancer mentioned. “It has been my saviour. It is taught me a lot. And I imagine it is made me who I’m at present.”

Dowden and co-star Carlos Gu open their tour, Reborn, in Birmingham in March.

Following Saturday’s ultimate of Strictly Come Dancing, which noticed comic Chris McCausland, the primary blind contestant, topped this 12 months’s winner, Dowden described the programme as an “unimaginable, magical present”.

Dowden needed to pull out of this 12 months’s sequence with a foot harm in November, and the setback got here after she missed the earlier sequence following her breast most cancers prognosis.

She mentioned: “Dancing this 12 months on Strictly Come Dancing meant all the things. Since these phrases ‘sorry Amy, you’ve got obtained most cancers’, my aim was to get again on Strictly, again on the dance ground.

“Then to have it taken away from me with a foot harm was simply devastating.”

After Dowden pulled out, Birmingham-based skilled dancer Lauren Oakley took over dancing with Dowden’s associate JB Gill and the pair made all of it the way in which to the ultimate.

Dowden mentioned it had been “good” to cheer them on and now, after her most cancers therapy, she wakes up on daily basis “blessed to see that solar rise once more”.

It was introduced earlier this week that the 34-year-old would return to Strictly Come Dancing for its stay tour, which opens at Birmingham’s Utilita Area on 17 January

Gu, who supported Dowden via her therapy, has described his heartbreak after her prognosis and his satisfaction after seeing how she by no means gave up.

He mentioned: “The willpower, the energy in herself was overwhelming. It was simply lovely to see.”

He added the expertise had made her develop right into a “extra unimaginable” model of herself, due to what she had been via, including: “I am actually, actually proud.”

Because the pair put together for the brand new tour, opening on 10 March in Birmingham on the Symphony Corridor, Dowden mentioned: “That is beautiful opening right here as a result of that is my dwelling.”

The performer, who runs Cradley Heath-based Artwork in Movement dance studio for pupils aged two and upwards, mentioned her dance college students, family and friends can be there.

She mentioned she cherished educating dance, but in addition wished to cross on the appropriate perspective, urging her college students to “at all times keep true to your self and do not quit”.

She can be engaged on “giving again to the charities which have saved my life”.

Gu mentioned the present had been impressed by each their journeys, by Dowden’s most cancers journey and his personal transfer from China to the UK, the place he has been navigating a brand new life.

“We each really feel reborn principally,” Dowden mentioned.

She mentioned the present – which incorporates dance kinds from Latin and ballroom to Flamenco and the Argentine Tango – took folks on an emotional journey impressed by their very own difficulties but in addition confirmed their pleasure and the uplifting moments they’d seen.

She additionally spoke about how vital it was to have a aim to work to.

“I say that to anyone who’s obtained a brand new prognosis,” Dowden mentioned.

“Whether or not it is working in the direction of a vacation, returning to work, a go to not directly or no matter it’s – have that little aim to actually push your self.”

She added: “I used to tick all the things off – each chemo, tick; each blood take a look at appointment, tick; each oncologist [and] rescan – all the things was a bit of tick alongside the way in which.”

Dowden underwent therapy for stage-three breast most cancers in 2023.

Following chemotherapy therapy and a mastectomy, she introduced in February that assessments confirmed she had “no proof of illness”.

She mentioned the pair hoped audiences would discover their new present uplifting and provoking, including: “I hope to point out them my motto.”

“Do not get bitter, get higher.”