Amber Davies, the former Love Island star, has been announced as the replacement for Dani Dyer on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, just one day before the first live show of the 2025 series. Dyer had to withdraw from the competition due to a fractured ankle sustained during rehearsals.

Davies, 28, expressed her excitement about joining the show with minimal preparation, stating, "This has been the craziest 24 hours of my life. I’ve watched Strictly with my family since I was younger and to now be part of the show is a dream come true. I’m going to give it my all and I am sending Dani well wishes for a speedy recovery. I hope I do her proud."

Dyer, 29, revealed the details of her injury, explaining, "I had a fall on Friday in rehearsals and landed funny. I thought I had rolled my foot but it swelled up badly over the weekend and after an MRI scan yesterday, it turns out I have fractured my ankle. Apparently doing the quickstep on a fracture is not advisable (!!) and the doctors have said I am not allowed to dance so I’ve had to pull out of the show. To say I’m heartbroken is the biggest understatement. I am so going to miss dancing with Nikita but will of course be watching closely and cheering all the couples on."

Davies, who won Love Island in 2017 alongside Kem Cetinay, has since built a successful career in theatre. She has appeared in productions such as 9 to 5, Pretty Woman, and Back to the Future. Recently, it was announced that she will take on the role of Elle Woods in the upcoming UK and Ireland tour of Legally Blonde.

In addition to her stage work, Davies competed in the 16th series of Dancing on Ice in 2024, where she reached the semi-finals. She will now partner with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin for her Strictly debut, with the pair set to perform a Waltz in Saturday night’s live show. Despite her previous dance experience, the ballroom and Latin styles will present a new challenge for her as she begins rehearsals.