Strictly pro Amy Dowden says 'I've always wanted to be a mum' in baby update

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has candidly shared an update on the possibility of becoming a mum with her husband Ben Jones, revealing how her health struggles have left her "worried" about the future.

Despite being renowned for her dancing skills on Strictly, it's her courageous battle against cancer that has garnered significant public attention in recent years.

Amy was diagnosed with Grade three breast cancer in May 2023, after she initially found a lump a month prior. Following a mastectomy and a round of chemotherapy, she chose to undergo fertility treatment, as the cancer therapy suppressed her hormones and induced early menopause in the dancer.

• Inside Strictly star Nikita Kuzmin's life with girlfriend amid life-changing health woes
• 'We previewed M&S' new autumn collection and predict these five buys will sell out'

After completing her treatment, Amy received the all-clear from breast cancer in February 2024.

In a discussion on the Breast Cancer Uncovered podcast, Dr. Sacha Howell elaborated on how hormone-fed cancers, like Amy's, are treated with anti-oestrogen medication. This suppresses a woman's ovaries, which can drastically impact fertility during the treatment phase.

However, he mentioned a recent study suggesting that doctors might not need to prescribe anti-oestrogen medication as part of breast cancer treatment in the future.

Amy welcomed the news, as it could possibly open the doors to more women like her finally being able to have children after recovering from breast cancer: "That's good news for me because I am in that situation, you know, with oestrogen-fed cancer, and I was put into menopause, I had chemotherapy. (I'm) very lucky I responded to treatment before I started chemo, so I do have embryos."

Revealing that she's always wanted to be a mum, she admitted her "worry" for her chances after treatment, adding: "But, you know, I'm 34, and you know, a family, I've always wanted to be a mum. It's something that, you know, worries me.

"And I know when I spoke to my oncologist, he said we wouldn't speak about it until at least January, because he recommended at least two years of being (cancer free), it was within the first two years you're more at risk of the cancer returning."

Amy has become a familiar presence on Strictly since she first landed her position as a professional dancer on the programme back in 2017.

During that period, she has experienced varying degrees of success while partnered with celebrities including JJ Chalmers, Tom Fletcher and James Bye.

Nevertheless, her greatest opportunity to claim the BBC programme's crown arrived in 2019, when she progressed to the grand finale alongside TV presenter Karim Zeroual before losing out on the coveted Glitterball trophy to Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse.

Amy will be teaming up with her 2025 dance partner, The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner, tonight as they kick off their quest to bag this year's top prize.

Strictly Come Dancing is set to return this evening (Saturday, 27 September) on BBC One at 6.55 p.m.