Amber Davies couldn’t hold back tears during her appearance on It Takes Two on Tuesday, admitting she’s already “mourning” her time on Strictly Come Dancing as the final approaches.
The 29-year-old West End star grew visibly emotional while chatting with host Fleur East, telling her: “It makes me wanna cry, honestly. I can’t believe I’m here, just the way that we started.”
She went on to explain how she’d received “this random phone call on a Wednesday night” before going on to have “the best 12 weeks of my life.”
When the tears really started flowing, her professional partner Nikita Kuzmin handed her a box of tissues.
Amber Davies said her time on the show has been the best 12 weeks of her life
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BBC
“The Strictly bubble is bursting,” Ms Davies said. “I’m mourning it now!”
The West End star, who shot to fame on Love Island back in 2017, was brought into the competition as a late replacement after fellow reality star Dani Dyer had to withdraw due to a fractured ankle sustained during rehearsals.
Now she’s made it all the way to Saturday’s grand final, where she’ll be going head-to-head with social media personality George Clarke and former England footballer Karen Carney for the coveted glitterball Trophy.
The Welsh performer secured her spot in the final after winning a nail-biting dance-off against Emmerdale actress Balvinder Sopal and her partner Julian Caillon last week.
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin appeared on BBC’s It Takes Two on Tuesday
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BBC
Ms Davies’s journey on the BBC show hasn’t been without its fair share of drama, though.
The former Love Island winner has faced persistent criticism from viewers who argue her extensive West End background gives her an unfair edge over fellow contestants.
The dancer has starred in major productions including Pretty Woman, 9 to 5: The Musical, and The Great Gatsby, where she played Jordan Baker at the London Coliseum earlier this year.
Her professional dance partner Mr Kuzmin has spoken out about the negativity, revealing that Ms Davies has received “hate every single day” since joining the series.
Amber Davis and Nikita Kuzmin | BBC
After being eliminated in a dance-off against Ms Davies, Ms Sopal herself acknowledged the experience gap, saying she knew it was “game over” because she’s a “novice” compared to her competitor.
The controversy intensified when eagle-eyed viewers spotted similarities between her Charleston performance during Musicals Week and a routine she’d performed in The Great Gatsby on the West End stage.
Footage emerged comparing both performances, with some accusing the Legally Blonde actress of lacking originality.
But Ms Davies was quick to address the backlash, explaining on the Talk of the Townsends podcast that the move was entirely intentional.
Nikita Kuzmin was originally partnered with Dani Dyer, before she was forced to pull out after fracturing her ankle during rehearsals
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BBC
“I asked if I could just put a little Easter egg because obviously the New Money routine went viral on social media,” she said. “So I just thought it would be like, illegal, for me to not at least put [it in].”
Mr Kuzmin noted it was “probably the only thing she’s asked to add in all of the routines we’ve done.”
A BBC spokesperson confirmed the routine was freshly choreographed for the show, stating it “briefly paid tribute to The Great Gatsby as a nod to Musicals Week.”
Ms Davies has been open about finding the criticism difficult to handle, particularly after beating fan-favourite Lewis Cope in a quarter-final dance-off.
“I would like to think I have thick skin, but obviously the start of the week has been tougher than usual,” she said last week.
“I would just like to remind everybody that I was never supposed to be here. I was a quick replacement. I’m just doing my best.”
Mr Kuzmin has urged viewers to “be kind” to his partner, praising her for coming into the training room “with a big smile, ignoring everybody” despite the daily negativity.