STRICTLY celebs are secretly furious at competing against another West End performer as Amber Davies waltzes on to the show.
The star of musicals 9 to 5, Back to the Future, The Great Gatsby and Pretty Woman replaces Dani Dyer, who quit this week due to an injury.
Amber Davies is replacing Dani Dyer on Strictly Come Dancing[/caption]
Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin[/caption]
Former Love Island winner Amber, 28, instantly became the joint female favourite, alongside Vicky Pattison, who are both 5/1 with Ladbrokes.
The overall favourite at 2/1 is Emmerdale hunk Lewis Cope, who was in the musical Billy Elliot.
A TV insider said: “The celebs are trying to be good sports about everything and don’t want to let on to show bosses they’re unhappy.
“But behind the scenes, all the chatter is they think it’s unfair that the line-up now includes two sensational dancers who have substantial experience on stage.
“Having one celeb with that kind of background is one thing but having two is seen as unfair, particularly if they both ended up in the final.”
Dani, 29, had to drop out after revealing she had fractured her foot in rehearsals with pro partner Nikita Kuzmin and would not be able to perform in tonight’s first live show of the 2025 series.
North Wales-born Amber, who at 16 gained a scholarship to train in musical theatre at London’s Urdang performing arts academy, will partner Ukrainian Nikita, 27, and they will perform a waltz.
She said after the announcement: “I’ve watched Strictly with my family since I was younger and to now be part of the show is a dream come true.”
The BBC said it was unware of any disgruntlement.
On-stage with co-star Corbin Bleu in The Great Gatsby[/caption]
From left: Ben Joyce, Hannah Waddingham, Amber and Roger Bart onstage after a performance of Back To The Future: The Musical[/caption]
Nadiya Bychkova and Chris Robshaw[/caption]
