Amber Davies has revealed she was left very emotional while watching Dani Dyer make her long-awaited return to Strictly Come Dancing.
In an Instagram video, Amber admitted Dani’s samba with Nikita Kuzmin on Saturday night had an emotional impact on both her and her sister.
The Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin partnership has an emotional story behind it, after their first attempt was cut short before the live shows due to Dani’s injury.
Amber stepped in for Dani and danced with Nikita during the 2025 series, making the pair’s reunion this year particularly special for the former finalist. And it seems she already knows exactly who she’ll be backing for the rest of the competition.
Amber Davies backs Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin on Strictly
Amber admitted she could be slightly biased when it comes to Nikita, having danced with him herself last series.
“Maybe a little bit biased here for Nikita and Dani,” she said, before sharing her thoughts on their comeback.
Dani’s hair and makeup were among Amber’s favourite looks of the night, with the former Love Island star saying she looked beautiful. She was also impressed by Nikita’s choreography, which she felt was a great fit for Dani.
Amber pointed out just how challenging the samba can be and felt Dani’s long wait to perform made the routine all the more special.
For her, there was something easy for viewers to connect with in seeing the pair finally get another chance to dance together. And the emotion did not stop when the music ended, with Dani’s sister also seen crying afterwards.
Amber revealed that “me and my sister started bawling our eyes out” as they watched the family reaction.
And there was no doubt about where her loyalties now lie: “I will be team Nikita and Dani the whole way.”
Why Amber Davies replaced Dani Dyer on Strictly
The reunion brings the story full circle after Dani’s injury during rehearsals last year. She fractured her ankle and was forced to leave the competition before she could begin her planned run.
Amber accepted the offer to replace Dani just 24 hours after being approached.
The former Love Island contestant had also spoken about how much it meant to join a programme she watched with her family, calling it a dream.
She vowed to give the competition everything while wishing Dani a speedy recovery and hoping to make her proud.
Amber’s casting did attract criticism from some viewers, who felt her West End theatre experience gave her an unfair advantage. Despite that, she and Nikita made it all the way to the final and finished as runners-up.
Karen Carney and Carlos Gu ultimately took the title ahead of them.
Dani Dyer’s Strictly comeback starts strongly
Dani was handed another shot when Strictly bosses invited her back for the new series. She previously admitted being shocked by the invitation, while also feeling excited to finally show what she could do.
That second chance reached the live floor on Saturday night, when Dani performed a samba choreographed by Nikita.
The routine left Dani and Nikita joint sixth on the leaderboard, giving them a solid start to their second attempt.
Read more: BBC hits back as Strictly’s viewing figures dip for first live show
For Amber, watching the partnership finally take to the dancefloor was enough to bring on the tears. Her support comes after Nikita guided her to second place in last year’s competition.
Dani now has the chance to pick up where injury forced her to stop last year. And Amber has made her own position crystal clear: Nikita and Dani have her support all the way.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday October 3 at 6.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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