Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden has revealed she will not be attending the upcoming National Television Awards on Wednesday September 10. The Welsh dancer appeared on ITV’s Lorraine today to discuss the upcoming series of the BBC dance show and the award ceremony.
The 35-year-old has been confirmed as one of the dancers returning for Strictly Come Dancing. Speaking to Lorraine today, Amy said she would be missing the award show due to filming conflicts. When asked about the NTA awards, she said: “Unfortunately no, the good thing is I’m back on Strictly and we’re recording the launch show.”
While Amy will not be present at the award show, some of her relatives will step in to take her place. Amy’s parents and best friend will be at the National Television Awards on September 10. A documentary made about the dancer’s cancer battle is up for an award. Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me is described by BBC as a “Powerfully honest documentary following Strictly pro Amy Dowden’s battle for her health, a future family and a return to dance after a breast cancer diagnosis blows apart her world.”
The nomination is in the Authored Documentary category. She’s 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.
Speaking about her Strictly return, Amy said to Lorraine: “I’ve worked on my strength and fitness, worked on myself mentally and physically because cancer diagnoses are tough, and I don’t think there’s enough out there about the reality of after the diagnosis and how long it takes to recover.”
She added: “I’ve hope to be able to give others hope who are going through a diagnosis as well.” Amy has been open about her breast cancer journey since she was diagnosed in 2023.
Thankfully, she was told she is cancer free in February 2024, but still needs to visit hospital for monthly check-ups. Amy recently told followers she still has to return to hospital every month for injections.
In a recent post on Instagram, Amy announced the exciting news that she had woken up to this morning. She wrote: “Woke up to the news I’ve been nominated for a BAFTA.”
Amy has been nominated for two awards at the Welsh edition of the awards ceremony for her documentary programmes. She told fans she had been put forward in “two categories- presenter and documentary”.
The next season of Strictly Come Dancing gets underway on September 20. Amy will be partnered with one of the 15 celebrities who have been confirmed for the show.
The celebrities confirmed are Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Dani-Dyer Bowen, Alex Kingston, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Balvinder Sopal, George Clarke, La Voix, Chris Robshaw, Ellie Goldstein, Vicky Pattison, Stefan Dennis, Thomas Skinner, Karen Carney, Ross King and Lewis Cope.