Amy Dowden trusted Dianne Buswell with mastectomy scar because of dancing bond

Amy Dowden trusted Dianne Buswell with seeing her mastectomy scar because she understands the pressure of being a dancer.

The 34-year-old star - who revealed in May 2023 she had been diagnosed with breast cancer - has given her fans a candid look into her treatment and recovery in an emotional new documentary.

'Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me' aired on BBC last night (26.08.24) and saw Amy open up on the close bond she has with Dianne after they joined 'Strictly Come Dancing' at the same time.

At one point, the two friends reunite after Amy's treatment, and Amy pointed out how her friend "got" the pressure of wanting a "perfect body".

She told RadioTimes.com: "Being in the public eye, and being dancers and wanting this perfect body, which I really don't look at wanting a perfect body at all anymore.

"My body has got me through so much. I'm surprised [and] I'm so proud of what it's got through. But I guess Dianne understood where I was coming from.

"Dianne got it. I mean, she's a dancer too. She knows the costumes we’ve got to wear, and we're so honest and open each other like that."

In the documentary, Dianne asked her friend: "How does your breast actually look?"

Amy admitted she "didn't look at it for two weeks and had to do it with a nurse".

Dianne acknowledged that "appearance is a big thing" for dancers, and "anything that does happen physically" plays "a mental role".

Amy showed Dianne her breast, and her friend replied: "It looks amazing! It's so perky, it actually looks so good.

"It looks great... Just looking at you, you look incredible and I can't wait for the moment we get to dance again. We're all rooting for you, everyone is."

'Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me' is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.