Amy Dowden has revealed how she was determined not to let her cancer diagnosis pull the pull on her new BBC show.
The 33-year-old Strictly Come Dancing star was diagnosed with breast cancer just days into filming the second series of her inspirational TV series Dare To Dance, which is set return to television screens to air next month.
Despite being hit with the life-changing news, Amy was determined to coach some a group amazing individuals through a spectacular dance routine to surprise their unsuspecting family and friends with. Speaking to Daily Star and other press, Amy said: “We started filming, I’d met the contributors and I’d taught them their first steps and then I, unfortunately, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
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“I was so keen to keep the series going. They had accepted the challenge and there was no way I was going to take this away from them.
(Image: amy_dowden/Instagram)
“I wanted to keep every part of normality for me. It was my escapism really from reality and production worked so hard to keep it going for me.
“I had a couple of weeks until my mastectomy so we did all we could before my mastectomy and then after it, we called upon my fellow Strictly family and they wanted to do all they could to help me and I think the contributors loved the surprise of them coming in. How could I tell someone I’m going to do their wedding dance and not be able to do it, it would be heartbreaking.
(Image: BBC)
“I’m just so proud that we were able to continue and that was down to the amazing crew and my amazing friends. We managed to get it all filmed before I started chemo and it was the tonic I needed.”
Throughout the new series, Amy will also call on the help of her dance family among them Strictly Pros Dianne Buswell and Graziano Di Prima and ex Strictly finalist, respected dancer and choreographer Oti Mabuse as they meet some incredible would-be dancers from across Wales.
(Image: PA)
Fans will see Amy a meet young woman who gave up dancing when she started to lose her sight and lost her confidence, a firefighter who harbours a secret love of dance, two friends preparing to dance at a big Windrush Day celebration and a Wrexham FC obsessed couple who have brought forward their wedding due to a cancer diagnosis.
Amy added: “The contributors are phenomenal and the word inspirational is said a lot but they really truly are and they came at a time I really needed them. Watching they fall in love with dancing, watching their progress as dancers and achieving that end goal was amazing. Most of them are still dancing now, they all deserve their moment and I’m so proud of them.”
Dare to Dance will air on BBC One Wales and iPlayer next month
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
