Strictly‘s Amber Davies has hit back at online critics who branded her ‘arrogant’ and ‘stuck up’.
The 29-year-old BBC finalist told the Daily Mail that being an ‘ambitious’ and ‘confident’ woman should be celebrated, not a reason for a cruel backlash against anyone competing on an entertainment show.
Amber, who will dance in Saturday night’s live final with partner Nikita Kuzmin, hopes to change public perception after enduring weeks of nasty remarks from viewers over her professional dance training.
The star has always been upfront about her musical theatre background and understands why some fans prefer to vote for celebrities with no dance experience.
Cast just hours before the first live show when Dani Dyer withdrew due to injury, Amber said she could never have declined Strictly, as she’s a huge fan of the series.
Thanks to her talent, having starred in West End shows including The Great Gatsby, 9 To 5, and Back To The Future, Amber has earned multiple full marks from the Strictly judges, yet she still had to fight for her place in the final during several dance-offs due to lack of votes.
Strictly’s Amber Davies has hit back at online critics who branded her ‘arrogant’ and ‘stuck up’
The BBC finalist told the Daily Mail that being an ‘ambitious’ and ‘confident’ woman should be celebrated, not a reason for a cruel backlash against anyone competing on a TV show
Amber, who broke down in tears on Strictly spinoff It Takes Two on Tuesday, hopes to change public perception after weeks of nasty remarks from viewers
She said: ‘I have a lot of young women follow me. I didn’t know what my purpose was on Strictly until I realised that I was getting a lot of negative comments for being good.
‘I can’t believe I have to say this in 2025, but being ambitious as a woman, being confident, having dreams and working hard does not mean you’re stuck up, it doesn’t mean that you’re arrogant, I want to change that. It shouldn’t even be the narrative.
‘I’ve had lots of people say, “I just can’t warm to her” and I think it’s because they don’t want to warm to me, that’s it.
‘At the end of the day, I come from a small town in north Wales and I worked so hard because I love what I do and the fact that I was given this opportunity, nobody was going to decline Strictly Come Dancing as a Strictly fan.’
The former Love Island star, who won the 2017 series, says one of the biggest lessons she’s learned on Strictly is to be her own support system, urging anyone with a dream to pursue their passion wholeheartedly.
She added: ‘I just want to reiterate… we live once.
‘Whatever you’re ambitious about and whatever you care for in life, go for it with two hands and don’t undermine yourself to make other people feel comfortable because that’s not what we’re here for. We should live for us.
‘Another thing I want to say is being your own cheerleader and loving yourself is the kindest form of self-love that you have. I just can’t believe we still have to say this in 2025.’
The former Love Island star says one of the biggest lessons she’s learned on Strictly is to be her own support system, urging anyone with a dream to pursue their passion wholeheartedly
Coming from a musical theatre background, Amber acknowledges she may have an advantage but stresses that her training is very different from ballroom and Latin dance
Amber discussed the backlash she has faced during a Strictly press conference at BBC Broadcasting House on Wednesday morning.
She explained that contestants with previous dance training are often criticised by viewers, who prefer to vote for novices who improve over the course of the competition.
Coming from a musical theatre background, Amber acknowledges she may have an advantage but stresses that her training is very different from ballroom and Latin dance.
Despite the criticism, she stands by her position in the final, where she will compete against YouTuber George Clarke and former Lioness Karen Carney, insisting she deserves her place just as much as her co-stars.
Amber said: ‘I feel like this isn’t a new story. We’ve seen it every single season, Layton Williams, Ashley Roberts, Danny Mac had it, so it didn’t come as a surprise. But it’s definitely only really amped up in the past couple of weeks.
‘From day one, all I’ve ever felt is support and love because, at the end of the day, it’s just an entertainment show.
‘Yes, there are opinions online and I can appreciate where they come from. I have experience compared to the other finalists, and I’m not shying away from that. But the love actually does outweigh the hate.
‘I’m so glad we had an opportunity over the weekend to say: be kind, it’s not life or death. Musical theatre is polar opposite to ballroom and Latin, but people don’t always want to listen to that.’
On earning her place in the final, she added: ‘I feel like I’ve worked just as hard as the other finalists. I had to fight to get into the final; we are here for entertainment.
‘At the end of the day, it’s 2025, social media is massive, opinions are everywhere, but I know I’ve stayed true to myself and worked hard, and I am supported by everyone. At the same time, I understand where people are coming from; I am not naive to that.’
Amber survived three dance-offs during her Strictly journey, including last week’s semi-final which saw EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal sent home
Amber survived three dance-offs during her Strictly journey, including last week’s semifinal which saw EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal sent home.
Now, with the Glitterball trophy within reach, Amber says she already feels like a winner simply for being given the chance to compete.
Reflecting on being drafted in at the last minute, she said: ‘Even just getting the Strictly phone call, I felt like I had won.
‘Being sat next to these two finalists, the people I’ve met, I feel like I’ve won in life. All I wanted during this experience was to be present and to remember it for what it was, not how it’s been perceived online or what people’s opinions are of me.
‘I’ve been able to truly live in the moment and figure out how to do that, and I’m going to take that into the rest of my life.’
