Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden opened up about the pressures she faced while performing in last year’s series.

Amy Dowden made a heartbreaking confession about her time on Strictly (Image: ITV)

Amy Dowden made a triumphant return to Strictly Come Dancing last year but remains uncertain about her future on the show’s glittering stage.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, the professional dancer was forced to skip the series later that year as she underwent treatment. Her remarkable comeback occurred last September when she was paired with JLS singer JB Gill during the 2024 series.

Sadly, Amy’s stint was cut short due to a foot injury, forcing her to withdraw from the competition once more. Lauren Oakley stepped in to partner with JB and they danced their way to the final.

Fortunately, just a few months later, Amy was able to rejoin Strictly for the UK tour and perform with JB once again.

Like her fellow professionals, Amy is eagerly awaiting confirmation from the show’s producers regarding her participation in the 2025 season.

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Amy returned to Strictly in 2024 after having cancer treatment (Image: BBC)

Speaking to The Mirror, Amy said: “We are waiting to find out, fingers crossed. We would love to but we are waiting for the decision to be made which is normally the Spring time.”

In the meantime, Amy is teaming up with fellow Strictly pro Carlos Gu as the duo are set to embark on their Reborn tour next month.

Opening up about her return to Strictly, Amy confessed that it wasn’t quite the triumphant comeback she had envisioned, acknowledging that she had placed too much pressure on herself.

The dancer, who was recently honoured with an MBE for her contributions to Chron’s disease, shared: “Last year, it was a lot of emotions, excitement but I think also pressure I had put on myself.”

In a heartbreaking admission, Amy said that she couldn’t “truly” enjoy herself and had lost her confidence, but is hoping to change that if she gets the call up for the 2025 series.

Amy is eagerly waiting to find out if she will be participating in the 2025 series (Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)

She explained: “I think this year, I would be able to truly go in and enjoy it and I think that’s what I would be looking forward to the most [if she took part in the 2025 series].

“I really do truly feel like Amy again. Last year, I wasn’t confident in myself really deep down. I think I was still trying to accept everything. I didn’t look the same, with my hair growing back. You could see a difference in me.”

Amy disclosed that she had a heart-to-heart with fellow professional Dianne Buswell during the Strictly Come Dancing tour at the beginning of the year, when she admitted to noticing a change in the dancer.

“Dianne said at the tour rehearsals, ‘We have got Amy back’,” she divulged. “She could see I wasn’t like that during the series. If I am back [on Strictly] this year, I would just embrace and enjoy every second.”