Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden has pleaded with fans after being forced to withdraw from the National Television Awards.
The Welsh dancer, 35, appeared on ITV’s Lorraine yesterday (Wednesday), where she explained the annual ceremony clashed with a recording of Strictly Come Dancing.
Amy is returning to the beloved BBC competition after a “tough” cancer battle. She was replaced by Lauren Oakley last year when she dropped out due to injury while partnered with JB Gill.
She’s shared her delight at returning to the ballroom, though revealed the “unfortunate” news she’d have to miss out on the NTAs, for which her BBC documentary, Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, has been nominated under the Authored Documentary category.
Amy is making her triumphant return to Strictly this year (Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)
“Unfortunately, no, the good thing is I’m back on Strictly and we’re recording the launch show,” she told Lorraine Kelly.
Amy shared that her parents and best friend would be there in her place, and would accept the award on her behalf if she were to win.
“My dad will be so emotional,” she said. “I’m so lucky to have them as parents.”
Amy was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2023 (Image: Instagram/Amy Dowden)
Amy has now shared a heartbreaking clip with fans documenting a moment from her breast cancer battle.
Her BBC programme followed her health battle after her cancer diagnosis, as she bravely shared her experiences undergoing a mastectomy, having chemotherapy, and undergoing fertility treatment.
“This powerfully candid film follows Amy through her toughest journey, as she pushes to return to health and back to the Strictly ballroom,” the synopsis reads.
Amy has bravely documented her cancer journey in a BBC programme (Image: Amy Dowden Instagram)
Sharing a tearful clip from chemotherapy in which she spoke about how “gutted” she was to have to take off a cold cap during treatment, after going through “excruciating” pain, Amy urged her viewers to vote and spoke about how hard it was to share that moment on camera.
She wrote: “One week until @officialntas awards Voting is still open! Always get emotional when I watch it back.”
Thanking her friend who helped her through in that moment, reminding her she hadn’t “failed” by taking off the cold cap, Amy went on: “Always get emotional when I watch it back. @karlamorley thank you for always being the strongest and always there for me!”
Amy took to Instagram to urge her followers to vote (Image: Instagram)
She added in another Story: “Such a hard decision, I was so sick and in pain during this chemo session. My hair was already 50% gone.
“But knowing when the cap was turned off, I had days before it was all gone was such a hard moment to accept! [sic]
“Through my documentary, I truly wanted to show the reality of my cancer diagnosis!
Lauren Oakley stepped in for Amy Dowden last year and partnered with JB Gill, making it all the way to the final (Image: Getty Images)
“@karlamorley, being my dear friend but also hairdresser, this was a tough day for her too! I was so lucky with all those around me who helped me through it all and I’m forever in your debt!”
Amy’s documentary is up against Molly-Mae Hague’s Amazon Prime series Behind It All, Boyzone: No Matter What, Freddie Flintoff’s programme detailing his recovery after his horror Top Gear crash, and There’s Only One Rob Burrow.