BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s Welsh star shared the health update with her Instagram followers on Monday morning
11:06, 03 Nov 2025
BBC Strictly Come Dancing favourite Amy Dowden has announced she’s taking a break from the series as she undergoes major surgery this week.
The Welsh professional dancer, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, is undergoing a second mastectomy this week, she announced to her Instagram followers.
But she stressed that there’s not been a new cancer diagnosis. Amy, 35, first spotted a lump in her breast the day before jetting off to the Maldives on her honeymoon with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones and after undergoing tests on her return it was confirmed she had breast cancer.
After taking a break from Strictly for treatment she returned in 2024 but was forced to quit after an injury. This year she was paired with controversial The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner who was the first to be eliminated.
Amy Dowden is undergoing a second mastectomy(Image: Amy Dowden/Instagram)READ MORE: Tess Daly’s sweet message as she brings rarely seen daughter to StrictlyREAD MORE: Strictly Come Dancing star issues statement after ‘difficult’ week
In a video posted to Instagram on Monday Amy said: “Hey everyone, As you all know I’ve always been very open about my health and the care I receive.
“So I’d like to start by being clear what I am about to share is not to treat a new cancer diagnosis. However following a recent appointment with my incredible medical team, we’ve decided that I’ll be having another mastectomy this week.
“They’re confident that, all going well, I can expect a straightforward recovery. Once I have healed I look forward to rejoining my strictly family.
“Of course I’m going to miss not being there so much but I will be watching from home and look forward to cheering everyone on. Thank you always for all the support. Welsh love Amy.”
Amy and Thomas Skinner were first to be eliminated this year(Image: PA)
Amy was inundated with support from her friends and co-stars. Fellow pro-dancer Dianne Buswell said: “we love you Amy,” while Karen Hauer shared: “Sending all the love.”
Former dance partner Tom Fletcher said: “All the love to you my wonderful friend. X” While Thomas Skinner added: “Love ya Amy. Hope it all goes well. You are a legend.”
Recently Amy opened up about the emotional toll of her breast cancer diagnosis on The Dr Hilary Show podcast.
Amy detailed how her initial MRI underestimated the severity of her cancer. She said: “I went for my MRI, and the lump was much bigger than they realized, along with some other tumors. Then the decision was made for a mastectomy.
“After the surgery, they said I had two types of breast cancer. They knew I had ductal cancer before, but now I had both. When the surgeon sent my breast tissue to pathology, the surgeon said he wasn’t expecting this—it was also lobular.”
Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
