Amy Dowden addresses when she’ll quit dancing ahead of BBC Strictly return: ‘I’ll hang up my shoes’

Amy Dowden was delighted to announce her return to this year’s Strictly Come Dancing after she was forced to pull out of last year’s show as she battled cancer.

The 34-year-old revealed earlier this year she no longer had any “evidence of disease” in a celebratory post, and it was recently confirmed she would be returning to the glitzy BBC show this year. She has now addressed her long-term future on the hit series.

Dowden explained in her health update that it will be five years before she can get the official “all clear” due to the nature of her cancer.

The Welsh dancer’s post-wedding joy soon took a turn as she previously shared that she had discovered a lump just before she jetted off to the Maldives on her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones.

She was later diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and kept fans updated throughout her emotional journey.

Thankfully, the Caerphilly-born dancer was given some welcome news in February as she penned on her Instagram: “NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE! Words I dreamed of! My biggest accomplishment yet!

“I won’t be getting the all-clear for 5 years, especially with a hormone-fed cancer. But it was all worth it. Words I never thought I’d hear at one point.

“So grateful for all the care I received and continue to have. To my husband, family and friends who supported me unconditionally and to you guys! Thank you!”

Opening up recently about how she feels just before walking out into the iconic ballroom to perform, she admitted: “My friend came to watch once and she said she could actually see my heart beating through my chest.”

Giving a hint as to when she’ll be waving goodbye to the show for good, she continued: “I always say the day I’m not nervous is the day I hang up my dance shoes because I think it shows how much I care and it means to me.

“I just want my celebrity to do well. It’s still such a special moment. I always say, just produce what you did in the training room. This is your moment so go and try.”

When asked how it feels to be in the 20th anniversary series, Dowden responded: “It feels really surreal.

“I’ll never forget watching at home the first year when Natasha Kaplinsky won. I’d never seen anything like it before on TV.

“At the time I was dancing and going to Blackpool regularly but to see it on TV was special so to be part of the anniversary feels surreal. I think it’s going to be a real celebration of a series.”

Speaking recently about discovering she had cancer, she explained: “I never thought at 32 years old I would be diagnosed with breast cancer.”

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Speaking to The Mirror, she continued: “And if it wasn’t for the Coppafeel trip, I wouldn’t have ended up checking myself.

“And if I hadn’t found the grade three, most aggressive type of cancer, then I wouldn’t be here right now.

“I just want people to not wait until you’re in your 50s and have mammograms. You need to be checking yourself.

“And if just ten people from watching this documentary check themselves, I could potentially save a life.”