Amy Dowden: Strictly Career, Health Journey and Life in 2026
The Welsh professional dancer became a familiar face on Strictly Come Dancing and continues to work in television, dance and public awareness campaigns.
Introduction
Amy Dowden MBE is a Welsh professional ballroom and Latin dancer best known for appearing on Strictly Come Dancing.
She joined the BBC programme in 2017 and became its first Welsh professional dancer. One of her biggest Strictly achievements came in 2019 when she reached the final with television presenter Karim Zeroual.
As of August 2026, Amy remains professionally active. She has been confirmed as one of the returning professional dancers for the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
She has also expanded her television career beyond Strictly. In August 2026, Amy appeared with fellow professional dancer Carlos Gu in Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted.
Amy is also known for publicly raising awareness of Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Her work in this area led to her receiving an MBE.
Amy Dowden Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Amy Dowden |
| Date of birth | 10 August 1990 |
| Age | 36 years old as of August 2026 |
| Birthplace | Caerphilly, Wales |
| Nationality | Welsh / British |
| Profession | Professional ballroom and Latin dancer |
| Famous for | Strictly Come Dancing |
| Strictly debut | 2017 |
| Major Strictly result | Finalist in 2019 |
| 2019 partner | Karim Zeroual |
| Husband | Ben Jones |
| Honour | MBE |
| Current status | Professional dancer and television personality |
Who Is Amy Dowden?
Amy Dowden is a professional dancer from Caerphilly in Wales.
She specialises in ballroom and Latin dancing and spent years competing before becoming widely known on British television.
Her biggest television connection is with Strictly Come Dancing.
Amy joined the programme in 2017 and made history by becoming its first Welsh professional dancer.
She later reached the Strictly final in 2019 with Karim Zeroual.
Her career now includes competitive dance, television, documentaries, live shows, charity work and health awareness campaigns.
Amy Dowden’s Age and Early Life
Amy Dowden was born on 10 August 1990 in Caerphilly, Wales.
This means she turned 36 years old on 10 August 2026.
She became interested in dancing when she was young.
The British Dance Council says Amy started dancing at the age of eight. However, she did not fully commit to dancing as a career until after completing her A-levels.
Dance gradually became the centre of her professional life.
Her journey was not simply about appearing on television. She first built a strong competitive dance career before joining Strictly.
Amy Dowden’s Competitive Dance Career
Before becoming a television star, Amy competed seriously in ballroom and Latin dance.
She competed with Ben Jones, who later became her husband.
In 2016, Amy and Ben became British National Latin Dance Champions.
According to the British Dance Council, they were the first all-British pair to win the championship in more than 30 years.
Their other recognised achievements included becoming:
- British Dance Federation Champions
- English Closed Champions
- Welsh Closed Champions
- Welsh Open Champions
Amy has also been described as a World Championship semi-finalist and a four-time British National finalist.
These achievements explain why she already had an established dance career before millions of television viewers knew her name.
When Did Amy Dowden Join Strictly Come Dancing?
Amy Dowden joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.
Her arrival was an important moment because she became the show’s first Welsh professional dancer.
Over the years, she has worked with several celebrity contestants.
Her Strictly partners have included names such as:
- Brian Conley
- Danny John-Jules
- Karim Zeroual
- JJ Chalmers
- Tom Fletcher
- James Bye
- JB Gill
Her strongest result came with Karim Zeroual in 2019.
The pair reached the final and finished as runners-up.
For another television personality who reached a Strictly final, readers can explore Helen Skelton’s television career and Strictly journey.
Amy Dowden and Karim Zeroual
Karim Zeroual became one of Amy’s best-known Strictly partners.
They competed together during the 2019 series.
Their performances helped them reach the final, making it Amy’s first Strictly final as a professional dancer.
Although they did not win the series, reaching the final remains one of the most important television achievements of Amy’s dance career.
Amy Dowden’s Return to Strictly
Amy faced periods away from full Strictly competition because of health treatment and later injury.
She returned to compete in 2024 and was paired with JLS singer JB Gill.
However, a foot injury meant Amy could not continue as his professional partner. Lauren Oakley later continued the competition with Gill.
Amy remained connected with the programme.
Most importantly for people searching “Is Amy Dowden still on Strictly?”, the answer is yes.
As of August 2026, she has been confirmed among the professional dancers returning for the 2026 series.
What Is Amy Dowden Doing in 2026?
Amy remains active across dance and television.
Her confirmed 2026 work includes her continued involvement with Strictly Come Dancing.
She has also worked closely with Strictly professional Carlos Gu.
The pair developed the live dance production Amy & Carlos: Reborn, combining dance with stories from their lives and careers.
Amy and Carlos also appeared together on Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted in August 2026.
The programme featured celebrity pairs attempting to avoid a team of professional hunters while taking part in the series for Stand Up To Cancer.
This shows that Amy’s current television career extends beyond the Strictly ballroom.
Amy Dowden’s Health Journey
Amy has chosen to speak publicly about important parts of her health journey.
She was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 19.
Crohn’s disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease, often shortened to IBD.
Amy later became an ambassador for Crohn’s & Colitis UK, helping raise awareness and encourage greater understanding of people living with Crohn’s disease and colitis.
She also discussed her experience in the documentary Strictly Amy: Crohn’s & Me.
The programme received recognition at the BAFTA Cymru Awards.
Amy Dowden and Breast Cancer
In May 2023, Amy publicly announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
She underwent treatment that included surgery and chemotherapy.
Her treatment meant she could not take part in Strictly with a celebrity partner during the 2023 series.
Amy later returned to the programme.
In November 2025, she underwent another mastectomy. She made clear publicly that the operation was not because of a new cancer diagnosis.
Health information about public figures can easily become inaccurate online. For this reason, claims about Amy’s medical status should be based on what she has publicly said or what reliable sources have confirmed.
Her continued professional work in 2026 should also not be used to make medical claims that she has not personally confirmed.
Amy Dowden’s MBE
Amy received one of the most important honours of her public career in 2024.
She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, usually written as MBE.
The King’s Birthday Honours recognised her work as an advocate and ambassador for Crohn’s & Colitis UK.
Her official citation recognised her services to fundraising and raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease.
She later received the honour from King Charles III at Buckingham Palace in February 2025.
The MBE recognised a part of Amy’s public work that goes beyond dancing and television.
Amy Dowden’s Documentary Work
Amy has used television documentaries to discuss subjects connected with her own experiences.
One of her best-known projects is:
Strictly Amy: Crohn’s & Me
The documentary explored what it is like to live with Crohn’s disease while working as a professional dancer.
It later received a BAFTA Cymru award.
Amy also appeared in Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me, which documented her experience following her breast cancer diagnosis.
Her documentary work has allowed viewers to understand parts of her life that are not normally visible during a dance competition.
Amy Dowden’s Book
Amy published her memoir Dancing in the Rain in September 2024.
The book covers her journey from growing up in Wales to becoming a professional dancer and Strictly star.
It also discusses the health challenges she has publicly experienced.
The book gives readers Amy’s own account rather than relying on celebrity rumours or unsupported online stories.
Who Is Amy Dowden’s Husband?
Amy Dowden is married to Ben Jones.
Ben is also a professional dancer and was Amy’s long-term competitive dance partner.
The couple competed together before Amy became widely known through Strictly Come Dancing.
They married in Wales in July 2022.
Their relationship has therefore been closely connected with Amy’s professional dance journey as well as her personal life.
Amy Dowden Beyond Strictly
Although Strictly remains the programme most closely connected with Amy’s name, her public career is wider.
She has worked in:
- Professional competitive dancing
- Television entertainment
- Television documentaries
- Live dance tours
- Dance teaching
- Charity campaigns
- Health awareness projects
- Publishing
Her career shows how professional dancers can move between competitive sport, entertainment and television.
Readers interested in another familiar British television career can also read about Sue Barker’s tennis and BBC television journey.
Why Did Amy Dowden Receive a BAFTA Cymru Award?
Amy’s documentary Strictly Amy: Crohn’s & Me received recognition at the BAFTA Cymru Awards.
The programme was personal because Amy herself lives with Crohn’s disease.
Instead of presenting the condition only as medical information, the documentary showed how it affected her everyday life and professional dance career.
BAFTA later identified Amy as a BAFTA Cymru Award winner for the documentary.
Why Is Amy Dowden Famous?
Amy Dowden is famous mainly because of Strictly Come Dancing.
However, several different parts of her career have contributed to her public profile.
She is known for:
- Becoming the first Welsh professional dancer on Strictly.
- Reaching the Strictly final with Karim Zeroual in 2019.
- Winning major competitive Latin dance titles.
- Speaking publicly about Crohn’s disease.
- Raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease.
- Receiving an MBE.
- Sharing her breast cancer experience publicly.
- Appearing in documentaries and other television programmes.
Interesting Facts About Amy Dowden
- Amy began dancing at around eight years old.
- She grew up in Caerphilly, Wales.
- She became British National Latin Dance Champion with Ben Jones in 2016.
- Amy joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.
- She was the programme’s first Welsh professional dancer.
- She reached the Strictly final with Karim Zeroual in 2019.
- Her documentary about Crohn’s disease received a BAFTA Cymru award.
- She became an MBE for fundraising and raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease.
- Her memoir Dancing in the Rain was released in September 2024.
- She remains part of the Strictly professional line-up in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Amy Dowden?
Amy Dowden is a Welsh professional ballroom and Latin dancer. She is best known as a professional dancer on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
How old is Amy Dowden?
Amy Dowden is 36 years old as of August 2026. She was born on 10 August 1990.
Where is Amy Dowden from?
She is from Caerphilly, Wales.
Is Amy Dowden still on Strictly Come Dancing?
Yes. Amy Dowden has been confirmed as one of the professional dancers returning for the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
When did Amy Dowden join Strictly?
She joined the programme in 2017 and became its first Welsh professional dancer.
Did Amy Dowden win Strictly Come Dancing?
No. Her best result so far was reaching the 2019 final with Karim Zeroual, where they finished as runners-up.
Who is Amy Dowden’s husband?
Amy Dowden’s husband is professional dancer Ben Jones. They previously competed together as dance partners and married in 2022.
Why does Amy Dowden have an MBE?
Amy received an MBE for services to fundraising and raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease through her advocacy work.
Final Words
Amy Dowden has built a career that reaches far beyond one television programme.
She began dancing as a child in Wales, became a British National Latin Dance Champion and joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 as its first Welsh professional dancer.
Her 2019 final with Karim Zeroual remains one of her biggest Strictly achievements.
She has also used her public platform to speak about Crohn’s disease and her breast cancer experience. Her work raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease was recognised with an MBE.
As of August 2026, Amy remains professionally active and is confirmed as part of the Strictly Come Dancing professional line-up.
For readers asking “Who is Amy Dowden and what is she doing now?”, the simple answer is that she is a Welsh professional dancer, television personality and health-awareness advocate who continues to work in British television and dance.
