For Amber Davies, appearing on Strictly is a dream come true.
Upon winning dating programme Love Island in 2017, trained dancer Amber set her representatives the task of getting her on the ballroom floor – no matter what.
Amber had been turned down at least twice before by Strictly, but got her chance this year when Dani Dyer fractured an ankle and was forced to pull out mid-series.
Suddenly, Strictly’s producers needed a celebrity with dance experience so they could keep up with the other contestants after missing the initial training period before the show is broadcast.
So far, so good, you might think. Yet there have been hiccups for the newcomer.
First, the apparently ruthless way in which Amber, 29, parted with a series of managers was exposed amid rumours of unrealistic demands.
Then, on Sunday, Amber found herself in the bottom two, facing former Chelsea star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the ‘dance-off’ to avoid elimination – despite securing a good place on the leader board. She is clearly struggling to engage the strong-willed Strictly audience.
To complete the humiliation, professional partner Nikita Kuzmin was spotted kissing Amber on the head tenderly – prompting (unfounded) rumours of romance.
Amber Davies has faced backlash after being parachuted into this year’s Strictly series
The 2017 Love Island winner and her dance partner, Nikita Kuzmin, fell into the bottom two last weekend – despite Davies’ West End background and the fact she is a trained dancer
These kerfuffles have sent Amber’s new public relations team into overdrive, with a frantic campaign for survival on the show.
‘Amber was gutted but is seeing this as a chance for a fresh start and is putting her best foot forward,’ said a spokesman, responding to her client’s surprise appearance at the foot of the rankings.
‘She’s genuinely loving the opportunity even if she can’t do anything to change the viewers’ minds about her [professional] background. Being in the bottom two has given her a new perspective.’
As for the suggestion that she had been hit by the notorious ‘Strictly Curse’, Amber has let it be known that her boyfriend of three years, fellow West End actor Ben Joyce, is unperturbed by the chatter.
But those who know the performer well say that, in contrast with the warm words of the PR offensive, her true feelings will be very different.
I can reveal that Amber, an ambitious North Wales-born theatre-school graduate, has been appealing to former showbusiness friends in a series of private WhatsApp messages which urge them not to brief against her.
The messages have been described to me as ‘passive aggressive’.
Amber’s surprise call-up to Strictly came with backlash because, thanks to her stage training, she is widely seen as a professional dancer in her own right – something that has clearly gone down badly with viewers.
‘Amber has been sending strange WhatsApps to people who she dumped when it suited her,’ says my source.
‘She wants them to back her now, but for years she didn’t want anything to do with them after she thought she could find better people to have around her.
‘Amber wants the support now but was very quick to elbow these people out of her life. It’s all very strange.’
Amber began her theatrical career at a local stage school in the seaside town of Rhyl before landing a scholarship at London’s prestigious Urdang Academy, moving to the capital aged 16.
The college, now part of City St George’s, University of London, specialises in ballet, modern dance and musical theatre.
After Love Island, Amber won a part on the West End stage playing Judy in 9 to 5: The Musical – a show based on the songs of Dolly Parton.
Since then Amber has appeared on ITV’s Dancing On Ice and taken a series of prominent stage roles in shows including Back to The Future, The Great Gatsby, Bring It On and Pretty Woman.
She has been booked to play the lead in a 2026 touring production of romantic comedy Legally Blonde next year.
Nikita Kuzmin was last week caught giving the star a tender kiss on the forehead
While those who are trained dancers tend not to win Strictly – previous accomplished competitors include Layton Williams, Denise van Outen and Angela Rippon – they usually survive deep into the competition. So it was unusual for a celebrity of Amber’s ability to appear in the dance-off in the series’ fourth week.
‘There is no way she will be happy,’ insists a well-placed source.
‘To be second in the judge’s scores but plummet down into the bottom two thanks to the audience vote is almost unheard of.
‘The way the voting system works makes that near impossible, which will be a huge worry for her.’
‘She hasn’t been shy about letting her true feelings be known in the past when things haven’t gone her way,’ continued the source.
‘She’s prone to a moody outburst, which explains why she has been through so many managers during her career.
‘She fits the mould of a leading lady in every sense – including the demands. When she’s missed out on opportunities in the past, including Strictly and a major soap role, she’s made her frustrations very clear.
‘You can imagine her dressing room on Saturday night. It would not have been a relaxing place.
‘Amber is no stranger to a showbiz strop, whether it’s demanding cars to take her home from events or asking her team to get her on red carpets. She has been hard work.
‘She’s had some West End success, and she’s definitely talented, but at times she carries on like she’s Elaine Paige.’
