Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden invites fellow show pro Carlos Gu to spend Christmas with her… after her final hospital visit before the holidays amid her battle with cancer

Amy Dowden invited fellow Strictly Come Dancing pro Carlos Gu to join her and her loved ones for ‘his first British Christmas’.

Sparkling star Amy, 33, who took time out from this year’s series of Strictly after being diagnosed with cancer, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a glimpse of her festive celebrations.

Television personality Amy was seen posing with 30-year-old Carlos, who is from China, before the pair enjoyed a meal with her husband Benjamin Jones and her twin sister Becky.

She captioned her post, “Cherish every moment and everyone in your life! Merry Christmas everyone!

‘We have @gkx_carlos with us who is celebrating his first British Christmas! Sending Welsh love to everyone, thinking especially of those who may find this time of year difficult. #merrychristmaeveryone.”

It comes after Amy documented her last hospital appointment before Christmas on Thursday.

The dancer, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May and underwent a mastectomy in July, was supported on the visit by her devoted husband Benjamin Jones.

Wearing a festive sweater, she beamed in snaps and thanked hospital staff before joking that a big injection was her “early Christmas present.”

She wrote: ‘The last apartment before Christmas, then we get into the Christmas spirit and get some nice dance teachers out!! Ready to spend Christmas with my loved one.’

Amy and Ben tied the knot in July 2002 and discovered a lump in her breast the day before she left for a belated honeymoon in the Maldives.

It comes after Amy thanked the Strictly Come Dancing team in a heartfelt post on social media last Sunday after returning to the show for the final after missing the series due to cancer treatment.

She returned to the final and seemed to be having a great time as she caught up with all her friends in the dressing rooms during the show.

She shared behind-the-scenes photos with finalist Dianne Buswell and crew members.

Alongside the photos, Amy wrote on Instagram: ‘Strictly 2023, thanks! Congratulations to our fantastic winners and finalists, as well as every member of the team! It really is a dream team!’

‘My goal this year was to be able to dance somehow and after breaking my foot plans had to change, but as always the amazing team made it happen.

‘Last night I got to be part of the opening number, thank you @jasongilkison. The adrenaline rush of performing in front of an audience, and being back with the gang, made me feel like Amy again (for the first time since my diagnosis). Thank you @bbcstrictly for helping us over the past few months.

“You’ve helped me more than you’ll ever know!” This show certainly brings joy to the nation. For me it is bittersweet that the end is approaching as this has been my only normal for the past few months and has given me the distraction and focus to be there on Saturdays when I could with the team.”

Concluding the message, she wrote, “My heart couldn’t be fuller than for this show and everyone involved. So proud to be part of the magic! Thank you!’

Strictly speaking, viewers were moved to tears when Amy returned to the show’s dance floor during this year’s final.

Although she appeared in the program and its spin-off It Takes Two, she had not danced with her fellow professionals before the final.

But on Saturday she took to the dance floor again and opted to go without a wig as she lost her hair after her chemotherapy.

The moment left viewers feeling emotional, with many taking to Twitter to express their joy at seeing her on screen.

One viewer wrote: ‘Watching Amy Dowden dance in #StrictlyFinal makes me sad. Let’s get her back on #strictly soon!’

Someone else said: ‘That Amy Dowden reveal was a MOMENT.’

‘@AmyDowden dancing!!! Oh my god, that’s so good to see. Leaky eyes moment,” another viewer shared.

While someone else posted: ‘OMG #Strictly A minute later and bawling at the sight of the beautiful #AmyDowden dancing.’

Another show fan commented: ‘Amy Dowden dancing without a wig is the energy everyone needs.’

While someone else shared: ‘Great to see Amy Dowden in the opening routine!!’

Amy quit the series of Strictly Come Dancing this year as she underwent a course of chemotherapy, which she completed in November.

However, earlier this week the star appeared on ITV’s This Morning where she admitted her cancer journey is far from over.

The chemo caused neuropathy, which caused her to temporarily lose feeling in her hands and feet, causing her to land on her foot at an odd angle and break her metatarsal bone.

And just weeks after breaking her foot, Amy was rushed to hospital after suffering another health blow.

The professional dancer was diagnosed with a blood clot in her lung, but fortunately she is now recovering well thanks to blood thinning injections.

Amy explained, “I take each day as it comes. I thought everything would be fine once I rang the doorbell, but it hasn’t been like that, I find it a lot harder mentally now. The journey is not over yet.

‘What I love most has been taken from me and I find that so cruel.’

As the cover star of Women’s Health UK in December, Amy spoke about the life-changing ordeal she has faced since her cancer diagnosis in May.

The dancer insisted: “I just want to be treated like normal. When I walk out and I have my headscarf on, I don’t want any sympathetic looks or pity on me – I’m Amy.

‘Sometimes people don’t know how to handle it. Just ask how I am – I will answer you. We don’t want you to feel sorry for us. We embrace it. Stand strong with us…Don’t look at me so pityingly – I don’t need it!’.