Strictly’s Amy Dowden reveals hopes to start a family in the future – ‘it wouldn’t be safe now’ – exclusive

Amy Dowden has told HELLO! about her hopes to start her own family one day as the Strictly Come Dancing professional prepares to head on the Reborn tour with her co-star, Carlos Gu.

The Welsh professional had to step back from Strictly in 2023 when she was diagnosed with cancer. As her cancer was hormone-fed, the star has admitted that the treatment put her into early menopause, meaning that right now, it’s not “safe” to have children. However, this hasn’t deterred her from hoping to start a family in the future with her husband, Ben.

“My body’s in recovery from cancer, but I had a hormone-fed cancer, so it’s something that wouldn’t be safe now,” she explained. “We do have five embryos, and hopefully one day I’ll get the honour.”

Giving a small update on her health journey, the star added: “I’m obviously regularly checked, and I still have ongoing treatment, but I’m incredibly grateful to the NHS, the doctors, and everybody who has ultimately saved my life and kept me alive. I go from one scan to the next, but all is very good at the moment.”

Musing on the lessons she has learnt, Amy said: “What happened after my cancer diagnosis is heartbreaking. I had a full diary, and then in a day, everything was cancelled. You focus on the now, being in the present.“

Amy’s cancer diagnosis meant that she didn’t compete in Strictly while undergoing her treatment, but the star made her triumphant return to the show last year, dancing with JB Gill. Reflecting on the mment, she told us: “It was very surreal and a very proud moment for me, after everything I’ve been through.

“That was my aim, since they said, ‘Sorry, Amy, you’ve got cancer.’ To have achieved it and in such a short time, I’m incredibly grateful and very lucky, because not everyone’s in my position after a cancer diagnosis.”

Sadly, during the course of the series, Amy had to withdraw from the show after sustaining an injury. Speaking of the moment, she described it as “devastating” and revealed that she had visited her close friend Carlos to spend the night in tears at his London apartment.

“It was devastating, I’m not going to lie. It was really hard and tough because I looked so good, and I worked so hard. It was heartbreaking. But I was so proud of JB and glad he was able to continue with Lauren [Oakley].

“It was amazing seeing them getting all the way to the final. Being there for half of his journey was something I had so much pride in, and to see him continue to go on in style and become the dancer he is now was incredible.”

The pair did reunite on the Strictly Live Tour, but despite doing 10-show weeks during the early part of the year, Amy is ready and raring to go with her new Reborn tour.

“I built up my stamina on this tour,” she confidently told us. “Also, we’re just so passionate about it. This is not going to be exhausting, this is sharing our story, hopefully inspiring others, uplifting them.

“If anything, I feel energised going into it. I’m so glad I did the Strictly Live Tour to build up my stamina, and it was the best preparation going into this.”

The tour has a special meaning behind it, with Amy exploring her cancer journey and Carlos discovering his queer identity while in the United Kingdom.

On this meaning, Amy shared: “We both feel reborn in ourselves, Carlos not being born in the UK and not being able to be true to or express himself, and he feels like London has welcomed him with open arms.

“Then I feel like a new person since my cancer diagnosis with everything I’ve been through, I’m a new version of myself now. We hope to inspire others and to show everyone to be true to yourself. Yes, challenges will come in, but never give up. Don’t give up on your dreams and your ambitions. Don’t get bitter, get better. With your friendships, love, and loyalty around you, you can do anything.”

Teasing what’s to come, the star said: “We’re seeing our fabulous choreographer, who is the creative director on Strictly, Britain’s Got Talent, she’s with Olly Murs at the moment, she did the Girls Aloud arena tour, she’s done so much. What she’s put together for ourselves, it’s insane.

“We’re just really excited to be able to share our story through dance, but through many styles of dance, from disco to commercial to flamenco and Argentine tango. Everyone’s going to learn so much more about me and Carlos. People might think they’re going to come and see an emotional show. It might be a bit emotional in some parts, but in others, it will be uplifting and dramatic.“

And Amy couldn’t be happier to embark on the nationwide tour with her close friend. The duo gravitated towards each other after Carlos was cast on Strictly in 2022. Now, they’re inseparable, with Carlos having his own room at Amy’s place and spending Christmas with her and her family.

“We spent the whole tour together,” she explained. “We gravitated to each other, and when I was diagnosed with cancer, Carlos was there throughout that. Then he became really close to my family.

“He ended up spending Christmas with us, and now he’s like my brother. We argue like brother and sister, laugh like brother and sister. We cry if we’re excited, we’ll ring each other to tell someone something or sometimes we’ll just ring each other for an opinion. We have a true, genuine, mission connection and friendship.”

Reborn tours the United Kingdom from 10 March to 6 April. Tickets are available now.