Amy Dowden

Amy Dowden (born 10 August 1990) is a Welsh professional ballroom and Latin American dancer, best known for her appearances on the BBC One television show Strictly Come Dancing. Dowden joined the series in 2017, and in 2019, she was a finalist in the seventeenth series with TV presenter Karim Zeroual. Dowden and her partner Ben Jones are former British National Latin Dance Champions.

Early life Amy Dowden was born on 10 August 1990 in Caerphilly, Wales and began dancing at the age of eight. She has a twin sister and an older brother. Alongside her partner Ben Jones, she became British Open Latin Dance Champion in 2017, and the couple were the first all-British pair to win the championships in over 30 years. Other successes include becoming British Dance Federation Champions, English Closed Champions and Welsh Closed and Open Champions. Dowden is also a four-time British National Finalist, and a World Championship semi-finalist, and she remains one of the highest-ranking Ballroom and Latin American professional dancers in the UK.

Personal life Dowden is married to Ben Jones, her professional dance partner, and together they run the Art in Motion dance school in Cradley Heath.

Dowden has suffered from Crohn's disease since she was a child. In May 2019, she spoke out about the effect the condition has had on her career as a professional dancer. In October 2020, the BBC aired a documentary about Dowden's experiences of living with the condition. The documentary won a BAFTA Cymru award.

In May 2023, Dowden announced she had been diagnosed with grade III breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy. In July of that year, Dowden revealed that she had received a second diagnosis of "another type of cancer", leaving her requiring chemotherapy and unable to take part in Series 21 of Strictly Come Dancing later that year. In August 2023, Dowden announced that she had contracted sepsis after finishing her first round of chemotherapy. In November 2023, she revealed she had sustained a broken foot and therefore would play no further part in that year's series of Strictly. A month later, Dowden was hospitalised with a blood clot on her lung, which was described as a side-effect of her cancer. In February 2024, she reported that her latest check up showed "no sign of the disease", although she wouldn't get an "all clear" for five years. In August 2024, however, she revealed that tests had shown abnormalities in her breast following a routine check up. In November 2025, Dowden announced that she was due to undergo another mastectomy. She clarified that the procedure was not prompted by a new cancer diagnosis.

Dowden was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 Birthday Honours for services to fundraising and raising awareness of inflammatory bowel disease.

On 26 October 2024, Dowden was taken to hospital following a collapse after her routine during the live Strictly Come Dancing competition. It was confirmed that her partner in the show, JB Gill, would perform with Lauren Oakley in the following week's show. She withdrew from the series on 4 November 2024, citing a foot injury.

In June 2026, Dowden was the subject of the BBC Television genealogy programme Who Do You Think You Are. Dowden discovered that, in 1888, her three-times great aunt Elinor (Nellie) had died, after being accidentally shot, at the age of 14. The 17-year old perpetrator, who was a friend and fellow servant, was later tried for manslaughter, but was found not guilty.

Strictly Come Dancing Dowden is the first Welsh professional to take part in the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing series.