Amy Dowden credits Strictly partner for convincing her not to quit dancing

Amy Dowden has credited her best friend and fellow Strictly Come Dancing professional Carlos Gu with convincing her not to "hang up her dancing shoes" following her cancer treatment.

The 35-year-old told The Mirror she was at an "ultimate low" after being forced to quit the show in 2024 because of illness.

The Welsh dancer said she was able to regain her confidence after receiving some "tough love" and "motivation" from Gu and her husband Ben Jones.

Dowden and Gu participate in the latest series of Celebrity Hunted in which pairs go on the run as they are pursued by an elite team of hunters.

Dowden was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago and underwent chemotherapy and a mastectomy.

She was still feeling the effects of chemotherapy when she returned to the 2024 Strictly series which left her feeling void of self-confidence.

"I'd been pulled out of Strictly and I was ready to hang up my dancing shoes," she said.

"It was only then I really knew how low I was in my life."

She said her husband and Gu were determined to make sure that cancer did not take her dancing away as it had done with "everything else".

"There's not many people who will sacrifice themselves to help a loved one like that," she added.

Dowden has since confirmed her return to the Strictly ballroom for the 2026 series, emphasising her determination to continue her career after her treatment.

The Celebrity Hunted series is in aid of Stand Up To Cancer and Dowden was determined to show the reality of life after diagnosis.

She had to balance life on the run with her regular treatment, allowing the cameras to follow her as she received chemotherapy injections.

"It was important to show the reality of cancer," she said.

"Unfortunately, a cancer diagnosis is like a life sentence."

Dowden said she hoped to start conversations in people's homes about the realities of facing up to cancer.

It also had an impact on her partner with Gu saying that it was "hard" to see Dowden have her treatment on the journey.

"You don't have enough sleep, you don't have good food, you're always constantly on the run," he added.

After losing both his grandmother and a cousin to cancer, Gu said he understood what she had been facing and naturally became one of the people she leaned on the most.

He called her an inspiration, saying that she "gave me the faith that I'm going to do this no matter how hard it is."

Being on the show also heightened both dancers' faith in humanity after seeing the members of the public who came to their aid.

"The people we met along the way all had amazing stories as well," said Dowden.

"They'd all had their own different or difficult journeys in a way that we could relate to them."

Gu said the experience "humbled" him and made him realise there was still a "huge amount of kindness in people".

The Strictly stars were joined by five other pairs of celebrities as they spent two weeks dodging expert hunters.

Celebrity Hunted starts on 3 August on Channel 4.