Strictly dancer Amy Dowden inundated with support from co-stars amid second cancer diagnosis

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has been inundated with support from her co-stars after she revealed a devastating second cancer diagnosis.

Dowden, who joined the long-running BBC competition series in 2017, announced her diagnosis in May after finding a lump in her breast the previous month.

The Welsh star, 32, said she made the discovering the day before travelling to the Maldives on her delayed honeymoon with fellow professional dancer Ben Jones.

After realising that the lump had grown following her honeymoon, she went to the GP and was then sent for an emergency referral.

On Friday (21 July), Amy took part in an Instagram Live chat with breast cancer survivor and Paralympic gold medalist Erin Kennedy for the cancer charity CoppaFeel! where she shared a health update with fans.

Instagram/@amy_dowden

Unfortunately, the professional dancer said doctors had discovered more tumours when she went for an MRI scan and they found another type of cancer, which now means she will have to undergo chemotherapy.

She said: "For me, me, my journey, everything changed. I was originally going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment.

"But then, after my MRI, they found another tumour so then it changed into a mastectomy and then, after my mastectomy, unfortunately, they found even more tumours.

“And my pathology wasn't what they were expecting, and they found another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo - for me that was a massive blow.

“It wasn't in the plan, originally - and I know the plan you can't get fixated on."

Amy added: “So, all of a sudden, then I realised, and you get scared, but the oncologist did say that with chemo I've got a really good chance of a cure.

Instagram/@amy_dowden

“I was really scared and I didn't want to do chemo but then seeing someone like yourself [Erin] who's carried on and for me straight away it was my dancing, like, you can take away my boob but you can't take my dancing away from me and that's what I get really upset about.”

Dowden was planning on returning to Strictly later this year, but those plans have now been put on hold.

Following her devastating health update, many flocked to Dowden's Instagram page after she shared an inspiring quote.

It read: "Keep shining darling. You are stronger than you think. Even though you may doubt it, you will get through the hard stuff with grace, strength, and courage."

In response to that, fellow Strictly star Dianne Buswell wrote: "Yes you will."

Another pro Michelle Tsiakkas added: "Yes you will. Love you."

And Nancy Xu Xi remarked: "Come on my darling girl."