Strictly Come Dancing fans have expressed their delight after Amy Dowden hosted a one-off gameshow episode with the cast of this year’s competition.
The professional dancer, 33, who first joined the cast of Strictly in 2017, was forced to pull out of the competition earlier this year after she was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and started receiving chemotherapy treatment.
In a mini-episode, which constitutes part of the “extra” content the BBC rolls out during the series, the Welsh dancer is the host of the gameshow “Gamey with Amy”.
Dowden tells the camera: “Hello everyone and welcome to Strictly’s Gamey with Amy, where our couples will compete against each other with three rounds of Strictly-related fun. Ready?”
The dancer started by quizzing each of the couples with Strictly-related trivia, such as the year the dancing show began and how many 10s the notoriously brutal judge Craig Revel Horwood has ever given out throughout his time on the series, as well as judging a balloon-modelling challenge.
Viewers watch as the couples battle it out to guess the correct answers and fight to win the highest scores away from the dancefloor.
The video clip, which was rolled out on social media on Thursday (10 November), has received high praise from fans who have been delighted to see Dowden participating in this year’s Strictly festivities despite not being able to compete in a professional capacity due to her ongoing cancer treatment.
“Amy you are so good at this. I wanna see you with your own quiz show series please,” wrote one fan.
“I love that you guys are keeping Amy involved in the series even though she’s not well enough to dance,” wrote another fan. “I can’t wait for her to get better and be back on the dance floor where she belongs.”
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“Gamey with Amy; can you please make more of this. Love Amy,” one Instagram user commented.
Dowden has made several appearances on the latest series of the dancing show, despite not competing in the show for the first year since 2017.
In October, Dowden made a surprise appearance on the show when she arrived in a sparkly gown to the show’s terms and conditions. Dowden later revealed that she decided to “brave the bald” just moments before appearing in front of the cameras, with the professional dancer crediting her Strictly cast members for giving her the “courage” to ditch her wig.
Amy Dowden making a surprise appearance on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’
(BBC)
Dowden was diagnosed with breast cancer in May, and underwent a mastectomy in July. However, the professional dancer was later told she would have to begin a course of chemo after doctors discovered the cancer had spread.
On Thursday (9 November), Dowden gave fans a welcome health update as she announced that she had completed all eight rounds of chemotherapy with a video ringing the traditional end of treatment bell to celebrate.
“We are finally here,” the Welsh ballroom dancer wrote on Instagram, as she arrived at the hospital for her final session of chemotherapy. “I’ve cried all morning! Right an afternoon of chemo and then I’m so lucky and grateful to be able to ring that bell! Will never take it for granted! Thank you to the incredible Sheldon Unit! You are all amazing NHS, all true heroes.”
Strictly Come Dancing continues Sunday 12 November at 7.20pm on BBC One.