Amber Davies has hit back at claims of a brewing feud with her Legally Blonde understudy Hannah Lowther.
The Daily Mail+’s Olivia Kemp reported this week that there have been simmering tensions between Amber and Hannah behind the scenes, with peers believing Hannah to be ‘a million times better’.
However leading lady Amber has dismissed the claims of a brewing feud as she shared a statement on having to pull out of performances due to illness.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the Strictly star, 29, gushed over understudy Hannah as she thanked her for steering the ship while she recovers.
She wrote: ‘An extra special appreciate message to @hannahlowther who has given me all the grace and space to be poorly and recover.
‘The show is in safe hands ALWAYS.’
Amber Davies defiantly dismissed claims of a brewing feud between her and her Legally Blonde understudy Hannah Lowther on Instagram on Thursday
The Daily Mail+’s Olivia Kemp reported this week that there have been simmering tensions between Amber and Hannah behind the scenes
Amber revealed she is currently on sick leave and taking antibiotics in a bid to kick the flu and get back to her leading role in the tour.
‘Cannot wait to be back on stage with my legally family, the DR has just given me a different set of antibiotics to get this cough gone (which has been lingering for over a month now.. has anyone else had this)?!
‘I’m very much doing everything I can to be back on stage as soon as I can! I haven’t had the flu since Covid which was 6 years ago!! So I knew it was coming to get me at some point.’
Legally Blonde The Musical fans were left ‘genuinely devastated’ and ‘frustrated’ after the Thursday’s matinee was cancelled just two hours before the show was meant to start.
The hit musical, based on the iconic 2001 film, has been touring the country for the past month, with Amber starring as leading lady Elle Woods.
However, on Wednesday Amber was forced to pull out of the performance after falling ill mid-show and was replaced for the second half by understudy Hannah.
Taking to Instagram after the performance to give a health update, she confessed that her appearance in The Great Gatsby, her last-minute call-up to Strictly and her immediate start in Legally Blonde had affected her health.
Alongside a selfie, Amber penned two lengthy captions explaining that she was fending off illness and taking antibiotics, and would be off-stage indefinitely.
But it appears the production has struggled to adjust to the Love Island star’s last-minute hiatus, as the matinee performance due to take place at Milton Keynes Theatre at 2:30pm was duly cancelled.
The theatre announced the news on their official Instagram page on Thursday at midday, with the statement reading: ‘This afternoon’s matinee performance of Legally Blonde has unfortunately been cancelled due to cast illness.
Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the Strictly star, 29, gushed over understudy Hannah as she thanked her for steering the ship while she recovers
Amber confessed previously that her appearance in The Great Gatsby, her last-minute call-up to Strictly and her immediate start in Legally Blonde had affected her health
‘All ticket holders have been contacted via email regarding alternative options to see the production or receive a refund.
‘This evening’s performances will go ahead as scheduled. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.’
While Hannah usually takes the role of Elle for Thursday matinees, it is thought that it has been cancelled in order for her to have enough rest time, now that she is taking on the evening performances.
Italia Conti Academy-trained Hannah, who is a TikTok favourite with 1.3m followers, later confirmed that she would be starring in the evening performance, taking to her Instagram Stories to write: ‘I will be playing Elle for this evenings show’.
Meanwhile, in an unfortunate stroke of luck, the wider Legally Blonde cast has also been hit by a slew of illness and injury.
Rosanna Harris, who plays Serena in the production, took to her Instagram on Thursday to reveal she was suffering from a sore throat, sharing a snap of chesty cough medication and lozenges with the caption: ‘Today is sponsored by…’
Ty-Reece Stewart, who stars as Kyle, has also been struck down by a bad cough, and reshared the theatre’s cancellation post with the caption: ‘Be kind to yourself everyone *cough cough* he says on his deathbed’.
While Daisy Twells, who is the stand-in for Margot when Hannah is taking over as Elle, is reportedly off for the week with an injury.
Though many expressed their sympathies to the cast and well-wishes, the cancellation announcement was also met with a flood of disappointed comments from would-be attendees, with many having travelled in for the show.
