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Who is Amber on Strictly? West End Star Amber Davies' Whirlwind Entry to the Ballroom By Our Entertainment Correspondent The BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing is renowned for its week-to-week dramas, but the start of the latest series has been marked by an unprecedented last-minute casting change. The identity of the star filling the gap, Amber Davies, and the circumstances of her arrival have quickly become a key talking point among fans and analysts of the competition. Amber Davies, a 28-year-old Welsh actress and television personality, was confirmed as the show’s newest contestant just days before the first live broadcast of the 2025 series. Her sudden addition followed the unexpected withdrawal of fellow contestant Dani Dyer, who was forced to step down due to an ankle injury sustained during training. Davies has been partnered with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, Dyer’s original partner. From Reality TV Winner to West End Leading Lady Davies, originally from Denbigh in North Wales, first rose to prominence in 2017 when she won the third series of the ITV reality dating show Love Island. However, since that early success, she has significantly redefined her career path by focusing on musical theatre, a pursuit for which she had trained at the Urdang Academy in London from the age of 16. Her stage credentials are considerable, having secured major roles in several high-profile West End and touring productions. These include playing Judy Bernly in 9 to 5: The Musical, Campbell in Bring It On: The Musical, Lorraine Baines McFly in Back to the Future: The Musical, and the lead role of Vivian Ward in the UK tour of Pretty Woman: The Musical. Just prior to joining Strictly, she was also announced as the lead, Elle Woods, in the 2026 UK tour of Legally Blonde.
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This professional background is crucial to understanding her arrival in the competition. While her musical theatre training provides her with extensive experience in performance, choreography, and musicality, the technical demands of Ballroom and Latin are generally considered distinct from stage dancing. Davies herself has recently acknowledged this differentiation. The Debate Over Prior Dance Experience Davies’ immediate success in her debut performance, a Waltz with Kuzmin, which scored an impressive 27 points—placing her joint third on the opening night leaderboard—sparked a familiar debate among viewers and commentators regarding prior dance experience. Appearing on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, Davies addressed the discussion directly. "Yes, I did train in musical theatre," she noted, "However, I am a beginner when it comes to ballroom and Latin dancing. So I feel like I will be starting from scratch. " She elaborated on the difficulty of the transition, stating: "Ballroom and Latin are worlds apart from what I’ve experienced on a West End stage. It’s a completely different technique and it’s a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. ” In a similar vein, Brendan Cole, a former professional dancer on the show, offered an analytical perspective on her prospects.
Speaking to media outlets, he commended her technical gifts but suggested her public profile might influence her longevity in the competition. “She’s great, she’ll do beautifully, but as a Love Island contestant, she might not have the same appeal as a World Cup-winning football player,” Cole was reported as saying. “Who will inspire people at home? Who captures the public's imagination?” This observation highlights the unique balance in Strictly between dance skill and public voting appeal, where a 'journey of improvement' often outweighs immediate technical polish. The Whirlwind Challenge The circumstances of Davies’ casting were unique, requiring her to step into the role with minimal notice. She was reportedly approached just 24 hours after the announcement of her Legally Blonde role. Recounting the speed of her entry, the actress described the period as the “craziest 24 hours of my life,” and acknowledged the pressure of learning her first routine in barely a day. Professional partner Nikita Kuzmin also faced an unusual test, adapting his choreography and training schedule for a new celebrity partner at the last minute. Head Judge Shirley Ballas praised the result of this hurried preparation. Following their debut Waltz, Ballas described the routine as “outstanding,” noting that it possessed "that elegance, real ease of movement. Miraculous really.
" Judge Anton Du Beke praised her "enormous potential" despite critiquing her frame, a technical element specific to ballroom dancing. Outlook for the Series Davies’ entry injects a fresh element of dynamism into the competition. As a performer with a background in dance but a confessed novice in the specific demands of the ballroom format, she represents a significant competitive unknown. Her debut performance suggests a strong foundation and a natural aptitude that could see her rapidly climb the leaderboard, challenging the notion of who the dark horses of the series might be. However, the history of Strictly Come Dancing demonstrates that early success does not guarantee victory. The public vote, combined with the challenge of mastering a new, highly technical dance style each week, will ultimately determine how long the West End star can maintain her place in the highly demanding and watched competition. The video below offers an early reflection from Amber Davies on her experience joining the show: Amber Davies on Strictly, Legally Blonde & The Great Gatsby.
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