Strictly Come Dancing's Amy Dowden says she had the 'hardest time' after ringing the chemotherapy bell when she completed her cancer treatment.

The professional dancer, now in remission, is hoping to raise awareness of the importance of checking in with people even after they have got the all-clear from cancer. 

'I was so lucky with my friends and family; they rallied around us, but there's so many people who told me they didn't hear from anybody after they rang their bell - they thought they were fine. 

'But little do they know, that's the hardest time, because that's when you've had all your chemo, that's when you're really struggling to walk up the stairs and really feeling the impact of a cancer treatment and diagnosis.

'I think it's important that people just having a better understanding.'

has revealed why she refuses to look at the show's rumoured line-up.

The BBC show is set to return to screens in September, with a plethora of celebrities tipped to take part including Dani Dyer, Stacey Solomon and Vicky Pattison. 

However, while excitement builds about the line-up, dancer Amy, 34, told in an exclusive interview with the MailOnline how she purposely avoids the speculation as she prefers her partner to be a 'lovely surprise'. 

Meanwhile, the Welsh beauty told how she's 'stronger than ever' as she gears up to join her fellow professional dancers for the new series following her battle with breast cancer. 

Speaking of the rumoured cast for the 2025 show, Amy shared: 'I haven't seen [the rumoured line-up], and I don't look at it. Normally, none of them are normally on the show anyway. 

'We don't get told anything, and I'm glad we don't because I want a lovely surprise.' 

Amy went on to say that she'd recently been filming Celebrity Hunted alongside fellow pro Carlos Gu, so had not 'seen anything' anyway. 

She added: 'Me being genuinely honest, I don't tend to not look anyway, because most of the time it is not true.'

Meanwhile, Amy insisted that she's feeling 'fitter and stronger than ever right now' in light of both her ongoing recovery from cancer as well as her injury last year which forced her to quit that series. 

The star was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer at the age of just 32 in 2023 and made the decision early on to openly share her journey in the hope that it would help other people. 

When asked how she knew the lump she discovered the day before her honeymoon was different, she admitted that the key to her early, lifesaving diagnosis was getting to know her breasts ahead of time.

She said: 'It was a real solid lump for a start, and it wasn't on the other breast.' 

The dancer, who was forced to pull out of last year's Strictly because of a foot injury, stressed: 'If there is something that you are not sure about, go to the GP. Get a check-up. 

'It doesn't matter how big or small it might feel - don't think of being a nuisance. It's why we have the healthcare system we have in place.' 

While Amy was thankfully told she had 'no evidence of cancer' last year after surgery and chemotherapy, she is now speaking out about the 'longest' part of her journey - her recovery. 

Generally speaking, those who have had breast cancer are at the greatest risk of recurrence in the first five years. 

The star said: 'I was very deluded - I literally thought I would be ringing the bell and my life would come back. 

'I didn't anticipate or realise the journey ahead of recovery and how long it was going to take, both physically and mentally, and I wish I had more preparation for that.' 

Speaking in collaboration with Keep Ahead, a campaign to raise awareness of the aftermath of cancer initiated by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, Amy said that while she still has a challenging number of years ahead of her, she is getting through the uncertainty by doing what she loves, dancing. 

She said: 'Especially this year, just throwing myself into that - taking dance lessons, being on theatre tours, and being able to now do what I love most and what makes me happy is what has got me through some tough times.' 

Amy was speaking at the launch of Keep Ahead - a campaign initiated and funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK. 

It aims to raise awareness of the life after cancer, risk and fear of recurrence, and empower people living with breast cancer to take an active role in decision making about their treatment and care journey.