Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has been teaching a couple who brought forward their wedding due to a cancer diagnosis to dance in a BBC series.
The Welsh professional dancer, 33, has previously spoken of how she felt “robbed” of the year she had planned after finding a lump in her breast in April shortly before her honeymoon.
She was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in May 2023 and had to miss out on being a competitor on Strictly during the latest series.
Caerphilly-born Dowden is returning to the dancefloor to help the public learn routines in the reality show Dare To Dance.
The second season will see a Wrexham FC-obsessed couple, who are getting married earlier than anticipated due to a cancer diagnosis.
The show will also feature a cameo from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia creator Rob McElhenney, who co-owns the team with Hollywood star Ryan Reynolds.
Across the four-part series, Dowden will also meet a young woman who gave up dancing when she started to lose her sight and lost her confidence, a firefighter who has a secret love of dance, and two friends preparing to dance at a Windrush Day celebration.
Dowden said: “I am so delighted Dare To Dance is back. When I dance, I feel like I can overcome anything.
“It’s something I want more people to experience, I really believe it can change your life.
“I was never going to let my diagnosis get in the way of what I love most and I am thrilled that my wonderful dance family could step in to ensure my wonderful students blew their family and friends away with their performance.”
Helping her will be Strictly professionals Dianne Buswell and Graziano Di Prima along with Dancing On Ice judge Oti Mabuse, a previously Strictly champion.
Nick Andrews, senior head of commissioning, BBC Cymru Wales, said: “It’s terrific to have Dare To Dance back on our screens but grab a hanky, it’s emotional stuff.
“Amy has drawn together an incredible and brave bunch of people as well as some of her showbiz mates.
“This is foot-tappingly watchable telly with oodles of drama. It’s both terrifying and joyful and only the remarkable Amy Dowden could have pulled it off.”
Since announcing her cancer, Dowden has provided updates when she underwent a mastectomy, and fertility treatment.
Her last chemotherapy session was in November.
She was diagnosed with cancer shortly after her honeymoon in the Maldives with husband and fellow dancer Ben Jones.
Dowden told Instagram followers on New Year’s Eve: “I feel I was robbed of the year I had planned and reflecting for me makes me upset and angry but later I’m going to make myself look through my camera roll and remember all the good times, the amazing opportunities I had, family time but also taking time to realise I learnt the most this year.”
Dare To Dance will air on BBC One Wales and BBC iPlayer next month.
