Strictly Come Dancing's Amber Davies Defends Novice Ballroom Status Amid Dance Experience Debate

Amber Davies, a theatre star and former Love Island winner, joined the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing series as a last-minute replacement after Dani Dyer withdrew due to injury. Despite having a background in musical theatre and training at the Urdang Academy, Amber clarified she is a beginner in ballroom and Latin dance, emphasizing that these styles differ significantly from her previous stage experience. She addressed criticism and accusations of having an unfair advantage due to her prior dance experience, stating she is starting from scratch in ballroom and Latin dancing and pledging to give her best effort. Fellow Strictly professional Lauren Oakley defended the inclusion of Amber and other contestants with prior dance backgrounds, highlighting that ballroom and Latin dance require distinct skills and that the competition encourages inclusivity and learning new talents. Amber’s performance with partner Nikita Kuzmin received positive scores, placing them well on the leaderboard early in the competition. The BBC has confirmed that Amber and other similar contestants do not have formal ballroom or Latin dance training, reinforcing the show's fairness.