Amber Davies to join Strictly Come Dancing lineup after Dani Dyer's injury
Actress and West End star will dance the waltz with Nikita Kuzmin as Dyer withdraws with a broken ankle
Amber Davies has joined the Strictly Come Dancing lineup, stepping in for Dani Dyer after Dyer withdrew from the show this week due to a broken ankle. Davies will make her Strictly debut on Saturday's first live show, dancing the waltz with professional Nikita Kuzmin after having just started rehearsals with him.
Dyer was the second contestant to withdraw before the competition began, following Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn. The news leaves producers reshuffling the lineup ahead of the series premiere, with Davies taking the place of Dyer for the upcoming live performances.
Davies is an actress, West End star and 2017 Love Island winner. She has since built a career in musical theatre, with credits including Pretty Woman, 9 to 5: The Musical and The Great Gatsby. In addition to stage work, she is a podcaster and has pursued television projects, such as presenting the 2019 ITVBe documentary Amber and Dolly: 9 to 5, which followed her trip to Nashville to interview Dolly Parton. Davies also competed in the 16th series of Dancing on Ice and has appeared in CBBC's drama Almost Never. Next year, she was announced as the lead for the Legally Blonde musical tour.
"This has been the craziest 24 hours of my life," Davies said. "I've watched Strictly with my family since I was younger and to now be part of the show is a dream come true." She added she would "give it my all" and sent Dyer well wishes for a speedy recovery.
Davies’s addition comes as the show prepares for its first live performances, with Kuzmin guiding her through the early routines as they take to the ballroom floor. While fans will miss Dyer’s presence, Davies’s appointment reinforces Strictly’s rhythm of replacing contestants when injuries or other issues arise, preserving the competition’s schedule while moving forward with a fresh pairing on the dance floor.