Strictly’s Amber Davies has shared her first snap with pro partner Nikita Kuzmin after replacing injured Dani Dyer just days ahead of Saturday’s first live show.
The Love Island and West End star, 28, beamed in the snap from rehearsals, despite rumours that fellow competitors have been left furious by her previous dance experience.
Bosses had hoped that Dani, 29 – who was originally partnered with Nikita – would go far in the competition, but it was announced on Tuesday that she’d been forced to withdraw after fracturing her ankle in training.
While Amber may not have long to prepare, Amber has plenty of dance experience behind her, including leading roles in musicals The Great Gatsby, 9 to 5 and having worked as a dancer at London nightclub Cirque Le Soir.
A source said: ‘The celebs are trying to be good sports about everything and don’t want to let on to show bosses they’re unhappy.
‘But behind the scenes, all the chatter is they think it’s unfair that the line-up now includes two sensational dancers who have substantial experience on stage.
Strictly ‘s Amber Davies has shared her first snap with pro partner Nikita Kuzmin after replacing injured Dani Dyer just days ahead of Saturday’s first live show
Dani, 29 – who was originally partnered with Nikita – announced on Tuesday that she’d been forced to withdraw after fracturing her ankle in training
They told The Sun: ‘Having one celeb with that kind of background is one thing but having two is seen as unfair, particularly if they both ended up in the final.’
A spokesperson for the BBC told Daily Mail: ‘We’ve been shown absolutely no evidence to suggest that this story is true, or that the anonymous quote it is based on is from anyone connected to the series.’
Daily Mail has also contacted Amber’s representatives for comment.
With Amber rounding out the cast, a surprisingly large amount of the celebrities on this year’s Strictly already have prior dance experience.
While the purpose of the show is for the celebrity contestants to learn how to dance from their professional partners, it appears many of them won’t need much help at all.
While she may not have long to prepare, Amber has plenty of dance experience behind her.
The star has a Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre and Dance, took dance as a GCSE subject at school, and trained at Danceworld Stage School.
She attended Urdang Academy for the performing arts as a teenager where she trained in musical theatre.
Just last year, Amber was a contestant on ITV’s Dancing On Ice where she finished in an impressive fifth place with pro skating partner Simon Proulx-Senecal.
She beamed in the snap from rehearsals, despite rumours that fellow competitors have been left furious by her previous dance experience (pictured in The Great Gatsby musical)
A source said: ‘The celebs are trying to be good sports about everything and don’t want to let on to show bosses they’re unhappy’.
Amber has a Diploma in Professional Musical Theatre and Dance and took part on Dancing On Ice in 2024
Many Strictly fans were unimpressed with the signing due to Amber’s past dance experience.
Taking to social media, they wrote: ‘A trained dancer! This show has lost the plot in every area Needs a total reset.’
‘Wasn’t she on Dancing On Ice?’… ‘Strictly is about journeys on learning how to dance, this is skipping all that.’
‘Another dancer? She may play it down but this is her career. I don’t think that’s fair really.’
‘She is a trained dancer and was on Dancing On Ice a few years ago. She is too trained for this show.’
Meanwhile, Emmerdale star Lewis Cope is already a seasoned dancer. The actor learned how to dance when he took on a role in Billy Elliott on the West End.
It has also emerged he previously took part on Sky show Got To Dance where he was a member of a troupe called Ruff Diamond.
The show, hosted by Davina McCall, aimed to find the UK’s next dance superstar and saw contestants perform each week in the hope of winning a cash prize.
With Amber rounding out the cast, a surprisingly large proportion of the celebrities on this year’s Strictly already have prior dance experience including Lewis Cope
Lewis previously took part on Sky show Got To Dance where he was a member of a troupe called Ruff Diamond
Lewis, with Ruff Diamond, reached the final of the 2013 series and finished in fourth place.
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, known as Nitro on Gladiators, also already knows his way around the dance floor.
The Team GB sprinter doesn’t have any professional dance experience but he did take part in the 2024 Strictly Christmas special with Nancy Xu, which will surely give him a leg up when it comes to learning learning the steps in rehearsals.
EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal revealed she previously ‘dabbled’ in Latin and ballroom dancing as a hobby.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, she said: ‘I dabbled a little bit, I did ballroom and Latin as a hobby and really loved it. When you’ve got a passion for something, you’re more inclined to enjoy it.’
Like Amber, RuPaul’s Drag Race star La Voix is an alumni of Urdang Academy and will likely have picked up some dance experience there.
STRICTLY LINEUP 2025
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey
Age: 36
Profession: Olympic Sprinter and Gladiator
Harry says: ‘I’ll be bringing tons of energy to light up the dance floor. Let’s hope I’m as quick picking up the routines as I am on the track.’
Alex Kingston
Age: 62
Profession: Doctor Who actress
The actress teases: ‘My hips don’t lie.’
Balvinder Sopal
Age: 46
Profession: EastEnders actress
Balvinder says: ‘I’m far too excited to put into words how I feel but I’m incredibly excited at the prospect of dancing across the ballroom.’
La Voix
Age: 45
Profession: Drag performer
She says: ‘Strictly is a national institution and I can’t wait to get started. All that’s left to say is: good luck to my partner! Here’s hoping they can help me go from La Voix into La Danse.’
Thomas Skinner
Age: 34
Profession: Reality star and entrepreneur
He says: ‘Bring on the sequins, sambas and most importantly, the BOSH to the ballroom!’
Vicky Pattison
Age: 37
Profession: Reality TV star
She says: ‘I’m absolutely buzzing to be part of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up… but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified.’
Karen Carney
Age: 38
Profession: Football pundit
She says: ‘I’m such a huge fan of the show and I can’t believe I’m finally getting the chance to take part.’
George Clark
Age: 25
Profession: YouTuber
He says: ‘Never thought I’d say this… but I’m doing Strictly! Honestly, I’ve got no idea what I’m doing but I’m excited to get stuck in … and potentially fall over a fair bit.’
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Age: 53
Profession: Former Chelsea and Netherlands striker and ex-England coach.
He says: ‘Swapping the pitch for the ballroom is certainly not something I’ve done before but I’m looking forward to tackling a fun challenge! Bring on a new type of footwork, with hopefully no own goals.’
Ellie Goldstein
Age: 23
Profession: Model, influencer and disability ambassador
She says: ‘It’s a show I’ve loved watching for so long, and the chance to now be part of it feels like a dream’.
Chris Robshaw
Age: 39
Profession: Rugby player
He says: ‘This is about as far out of my comfort zone as it gets! I’m hoping to take my dad-dancing to a whole new level, and my mum can’t wait to drag me along to her Zumba class’.
Stefan Dennis
Age: 66
Profession: Actor
He says: ‘Looking forward to the sparkle and reaching for the sky.’
Ross King
Age: 63
Profession: Showbiz correspondent
He says: ‘I can’t wait to learn from the best, meet my fellow contestants, and, most importantly… try not to step on too many toes!’
Lewis Cope
Age: 30
Profession: Actor
He says: ‘I’m so excited to be swapping the Dales for the dance floor and joining this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.’
Amber Davies
Age: 28
Profession: West End star
She says: ‘This has been the craziest 24 hours of my life. I’ve watched Strictly with my family since I was younger and to now be part of the show is a dream come true.’
