Amber Davies steps into Strictly Come Dancing after Dani Dyer’s ankle injury
Amber Davies makes her Strictly Come Dancing debut as Dani Dyer withdraws with a fractured ankle; hosts send well wishes and Davies brings extensive stage experience to the ballroom.
Amber Davies made her Strictly Come Dancing debut on Saturday's live show, stepping in for Dani Dyer after the Love Island winner fractured her ankle during rehearsals. The 28-year-old former Love Island contestant partnered with pro dancer Nikita Kuzmin for her first routine, while hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman opened the program by sending well wishes to Dyer.
Fans noted an awkward moment as the opening credits appeared, with Amber absent from the titles while Dani remained listed. The surprise casting change underscored the show’s unpredictable nature as Davies stepped into a high-profile role on live television.
Davies' background extends well beyond a single television appearance. She has led roles in stage musicals such as The Great Gatsby and 9 to 5, and she has worked as a dancer at London’s Cirque Le Soir. Her training is extensive: a Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre and Dance, formal study of dance at school, and teenage training at the Danceworld Stage School, followed by time at the Urdang Academy for performing arts. In other words, Davies arrives with substantial performance credentials, even as she makes her Strictly debut.
Dani Dyer announced she had fractured her ankle after a fall on Friday during rehearsals. In a statement, Dyer said she initially thought she had rolled her foot but that it swelled significantly over the weekend; MRI results confirmed the fracture and doctors advised against dancing. She added that she was heartbroken to miss the competition but would be watching and cheering on the other couples. BBC Studios executive Sarah James praised Dyer for bringing passion and enthusiasm to the series and said producers hoped to see her back on the dance floor in the future.
Behind the scenes, however, chatter circulated about the lineup. A tabloid source suggested some colleagues privately felt the presence of two highly experienced performers in the same season could tilt the competition, though the BBC publicly rejected the claim. The Daily Mail reported that the source quote was unverified and had no connection to the show.
The 2025 lineup appeared to feature a mix of athletes, actors, reality TV personalities and other entertainers, many with prior dance experience. Among them are Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, known as Nitro on Gladiators, who had previously appeared on the 2024 Strictly Christmas special; Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, who trained in West End musical Billy Elliot and competed on Sky’s Got To Dance as part of the Ruff Diamond troupe; and Balvinder Sopal of EastEnders, who disclosed a background in Latin and ballroom dancing. Other announced participants included Alex Kingston, La Voix, Thomas Skinner, Vicky Pattison, Karen Carney, George Clark, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Ellie Goldstein, Chris Robshaw, Stefan Dennis, Ross King, and Amber Davies, with Davies herself describing the moment as the craziest 24 hours of her life as she prepared to join the ballroom lineup.
As the show moved into its live phase, Davies' introductory performance was watched closely by fans and pundits alike, who weighed her extensive stage experience against the series’ requirement that celebrities learn routines from their professional partners. The episode also highlighted the resilience of Dyer's departure and the broader talent pool that Strictly Come Dancing has assembled for its 2025 run, underscoring a season defined by high profiles, swift changes and the enduring appeal of ballroom competition.