Amy Dowden surprises Strictly Come Dancing cast on live tour

Professional dancers Diane Buswell and Katya Jones were delighted to see their co-star

Amy Dowden surprised her fellow Strictly Come Dancing co-stars during the Nottingham leg of their live tour.

The professional dancer, 33, has been a staple of the BBC dance competition since she joined in 2017 and is much-loved among fans of the show.

However, Dowden did not compete in 2023’s series due to undergoing treatment for breast cancer, which included chemotherapy and a mastectomy last year.

After the 2023 season of the dancing show concluded – with Coronation Street star Ellie Leach and her partner Vito Copolla taking home the glitterball trophy – cast members including Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Angela Rippon, Annabel Croft and Bobby Brazier announced they were appearing in the Strictly Come Dancing live tour.

The cast, who are currently performing at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, were surprised by Dowden when she showed up at their dressing room while they were getting ready for showtime.

One photograph shows Dowden poking her head around a door as her co-stars are relaxing in a dressing room.

Amy Dowden surprises the ‘Strictly’ cast (@katyajones via Instagram)

Longtime professional Katya Jones shared a picture with Dowden to her Instagram Stories, writing: “Guess who surprised us all last night.”

A follow-up photo showed Amy hugging professional dancer Nancy Xu, with Jones writing: “All the hugs.”

Strictly professional Diane Buswell, who is a close friend of Dowden’s, expressed her excitement to have had the surprise visit.

“The cup to my tea surprised us all yesterday and came to the show,” she wrote on Instagram. “it was Well Lush. I loves you I do.”

Coppola wrote: “Oh Amyyyyyyyy I was sooooo happy to see you. Beautiful surprise. When I have heard your voice I jumped. Hope you enjoyed the show and we cannot wait to have you back us in the dance floor. Love youuuuuuu.”

There were also comments from fellow co-stars Jowita Pryzstal and Johannes Radebe, with Pryzstal writing: “Awww was so nice to see you Amy. best surprise!”

Dowden photographed in October 2023 (Getty Images)

Layton Williams and his partner Nikita Kuzmin, Leach and Copolla, Rippon and her partner Kai Widdrington and Angela Scanlon and her partner Carlos Gu are all performing on the Strictly tour. Tennis player Annabel Croft is paired up with Graziano Di Prima, after dancing with Johannes Radebe during the TV series.

The stars currently appearing in the ‘Strictly’ live tour (PA)

Dowden, who finished her last bout of chemotherapy in November, has said that she hopes she can return to Strictly later this year and win the coveted Glitterball Trophy.

The Strictly Come Dancing tour will finish on 11 February at the O2 arena, while the TV show will return later this year on BBC One.