Strictly's Amy to tell cancer story in documentary

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden is to open up about her ordeal with breast cancer in a new BBC documentary.

The film, with the working title Amy Dowden: Fight of My Life, will be broadcast on BBC One this summer.

It will be shown ahead of her return to Strictly, after she missed last year's series because of her illness.

The Welsh dancer was diagnosed in April 2023, at the age of 32, after finding a lump in her breast the day before she went on her honeymoon.

"It was an exciting new chapter in my life, but finding a lump on my breast changed my life," she said in a statement announcing the documentary.

"I never thought at my age I would get cancer and, despite having family members and friends who were cancer survivors, had no idea just what the impact on my life would be.

"I’ve learnt so much about myself and what a cancer diagnosis means on this journey.

"I hope others find hope and strength from this film, and that it encourages everyone to check themselves, no matter what age you are."

She made the decision to allow cameras to follow her journey with cancer six days after her diagnosis, and was filmed over 15 months.

After being diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, Dowden had a mastectomy and chemotherapy, along with fertility treatment.

She was told in July that the tumours had spread and another type of cancer had been discovered.

The dancer didn't compete in last year's Strictly, but was able to take part in the group dance in the final in December.

In February, a health check showed there was "no evidence of disease".

On Monday, it was announced that Dowden, from Caerphilly, will return to Strictly's professional line-up for this year's series.

She wrote on Instagram that she was "so happy and grateful to be back".

In 2020, she featured in a documentary about her experience of living with Crohn's disease.

• A new lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast that was not there before
• A change in the size or shape of one or both breasts
• A discharge of fluid from either of your nipples
• A lump or swelling in either of your armpits
• A change in the look or feel of your skin, such as puckering or dimpling, a rash or redness
• A rash (like eczema), crusting, scaly or itchy skin or redness on or around your nipple
• A change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast

Some of these symptoms are common and can be caused by other conditions, but it is still important to get checked by a GP.

Source: NHS