Amber Davies reveals reason she burst into tears over Dani Dyer's Strictly return after replacing her last year
Amber replaced Dani on the show last yearAmber Davies has revealed she burst into tears while watching Dani Dyer return to Strictly Come Dancing.
Speaking in an Instagram video, Amber said Dani’s samba with Nikita Kuzmin left her and her sister emotional on Saturday night.
The Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin partnership carries special meaning after their first attempt ended before the live shows.
Amber then took Dani’s place and danced with Nikita in the 2025 series, making this year’s reunion especially moving for the former finalist. She also declared her loyalty to the pair for the rest of their Strictly journey.
Amber Davies backs Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin on Strictly
Amber admitted she might be partial because Nikita had been her professional partner last series.
“Maybe a little bit biased here for Nikita and Dani,” she said before praising their renewed partnership.
She called Dani’s hair and makeup her favourite look of the night and said the star looked beautiful. Nikita’s choreography also won Amber’s approval because she felt the routine suited Dani well.
Amber stressed that samba is difficult and believed Dani’s long wait made the performance more meaningful.
She felt viewers could connect with the couple because they had received another chance to dance together. The emotion extended beyond the performance itself, with Dani’s sister seen crying at the end.
Amber said “me and my sister started bawling our eyes out” while watching that family reaction.
Her verdict was emphatic: “I will be team Nikita and Dani the whole way.”
Why Amber Davies replaced Dani Dyer on Strictly
The reunion closes an emotional loop created by Dani’s injury during rehearsals last year. She fractured her ankle and had to leave the competition before her planned run could properly begin.
Amber accepted the offer to replace Dani only 24 hours after being approached. At the time, she described the sudden move as the craziest 24 hours of her life.
The former Love Island contestant also said joining a programme watched with her family was a dream.
She promised to give everything while wishing Dani a speedy recovery and hoping to make her proud.
Amber’s casting drew criticism from some viewers, who argued her West End theatre experience offered an unfair advantage. However, she and Nikita progressed to the final and finished as runners-up.
Karen Carney and Carlos Gu ultimately won ahead of them.
Dani Dyer’s Strictly comeback starts strongly
Dani received another opportunity after Strictly bosses invited her back for the new series. She previously said she was shocked by the invitation but excited to show what she could do.
Her comeback reached the live floor on Saturday night with a samba choreographed by Nikita.
The routine placed Dani and Nikita joint sixth on the leaderboard, marking a solid start to their second attempt.
Read more: This Morning star Sian Welby reveals her ‘tears’ over intense process for Strictly hosting job
For Amber, seeing the partnership finally compete was enough to prompt tears. Her backing now follows a season in which Nikita guided her to second place.
Dani now has the chance to continue the journey which injury halted last year. Amber, meanwhile, has made clear which couple will receive her support throughout the series.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday October 3 at 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI technology to synthesise source reporting and structured data. It has been reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.
