West End performer Amber Davies has opened up about the torrent of online criticism she faced during her time on Strictly Come Dancing, revealing she believes the most hurtful comments originated from older viewers.
The Source of the Backlash
Davies, a former Love Island contestant turned musical theatre star, was a contestant on the BBC's 2025 series. Her participation sparked debate from the outset due to her professional background in shows like Pretty Woman: The Musical and 9 to 5: The Musical. The backlash intensified significantly after she defeated actor Lewis Cope in a controversial quarter-final dance-off.
The vitriol became so severe that her professional partner, Nikita Kuzmin, was compelled to publicly urge the audience to "be kind" towards her. Now, a month after the final was won by football legend Karen Carney, Davies has shared her reflections with The Guardian.
"The nasty comments I was getting while on Strictly weren’t actually coming from the younger audience," Davies stated, pointing the finger at an older demographic. She added that the mean-spirited sentiment directed at contestants seems to be "genuinely getting worse" with each passing series.
Navigating the 'Strictly' Spotlight
Davies finds herself in a lineage of Strictly stars who have faced similar scrutiny, including theatre performer Layton Williams, former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, and Hollyoaks actor Danny Mac. She expressed the impossible tightrope female contestants often walk in the public eye.
"I’m a woman. I am ambitious. And [people think] confidence comes across as being stuck-up," she explained. "But if you’re too sweet, you’re fake, so you can’t do anything right."
Despite the negativity, Davies, who was a last-minute replacement for the injured Dani Dyer, cherished her time in the competition. "Being in the Strictly bubble, it’s so magical. I’ll never experience anything like that again," she said, admitting she is "heartbroken it’s over."
From Backlash to the West End
Davies previously told The Mirror that she initially struggled to understand her role on the show until she realised she was "getting a lot of negative comments for being good." She responded to claims that some viewers couldn't warm to her by simply stating, "It’s because they don’t want to warm to me. That’s it."
While acknowledging she had more dance experience than some fellow finalists, she stressed that musical theatre is the "polar opposite" of the Ballroom and Latin disciplines required on Strictly. "I feel like I’ve worked just as hard as the other finalists," she asserted. "I had to fight to get into the final; we are here for entertainment."
Davies, a self-professed superfan of the show, said nobody would ever decline the opportunity to participate. She is now moving forward with her stage career, next set to play the iconic role of Elle Woods in the touring production of Legally Blonde the Musical, which begins its run on 7 February.
