Amber Davies has had a fascinating road to the Strictly Come Dancing grand final.
The 29-year-old star rose to fame as a Love Island winner back in 2017, and has seen her career go from strength to strength from the small screen to the stage.
Since the villa, she’s also become a star on the West End and beyond, with some impressive productions on her resume.
It’s been a unique journey, and even her Strictly run came as a replacement for Dani Dyer after her fellow former Islander was forced to withdraw after breaking her ankle.
In fact, actually got her start in reality TV long before she met Kem Cetinay on Love Island all those years ago.
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Here’s how Amber has waltzed her way into the hearts of the nation…
What did Amber Davies do before she broke out on Love Island 2017?
At 16, Amber won a scholarship to Urdang Academy, one of the UK’s leading drama school, to study musical theatre.
She didn’t become a household name until appearing on Love Island in 2017, but Amber did appear on our screens a couple of years earlier on another ITV juggernaut.
Before jetting off to Majorca in search of romance, she worked on the X Factor in 2015 as a backing singer, supporting Ben Haenow and Leona Lewis on stage.
‘LOVING this action shot from last night ❤,’ she wrote on the time, tagging the judge and her winning finalist in the post. ‘What an experience!’
What series of Love Island did Amber Davies win?
Amber won the third series of Love Island in 2017 alongside Kem Cetinay. She and Kem both entered the house on Day One; however, they didn’t initially ‘couple up’.
Originally, Amber was with Harley Judge, but she dumped him on Day 6 for Kem. The pair then stayed together for the next few weeks until Day 28, when Amber surprised everyone by dumping Kem for new boy, Nathan Joseph.
Nathan and Amber only lasted a week, though, and she dropped him for Johnny Mitchell. Johnny didn’t last long either, and she went back to Kem for the finale.
What theatre credits does she have?
After winning Love Island, Amber returned to roots in 2019 with the leading role of Judy Bernly in Dolly Parton musical 9-5 at the Savoy.
‘I only graduated in 2016, so I’m very fresh out of college. But I am trained and I have every right to be here,’ she told the Evening Standard at the time. I’m waiting and ready to prove people wrong.’
In 2021 and 2022, she toured the UK as Campbell in Bring It On: The Musical, and then enjoyed a stint at the Adelphi Theatre as Lorraine Baines McFly in the Back To The Future musical.
This year, she’s been seen playing Jordan Baker in the London Coliseum’s The Great Gatsby, and next year she’ll take the lead as Elle Woods in the UK tour of Legally Blonde.
What other TV shows has she been on?
Who are your Strictly 2025 winners?
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Amber and Nikita
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Karen and Carlos
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George and Alexis
The year after Love Island, Amber appeared on Celebrity Ghost Hunt, and was a contestant on the likes of Pointless Celebrities and All Together Now.
In 2021, she landed the recurring role of Jess in the third and final series of CBBC’s musical comedy drama, Almost Never.
Last year, she appeared on ITV’s Dancing On Ice, but narrowly missed out on a spot in the final, which was eventually won by former Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas.
Is she currently dating anyone?
Amber is in a relationship with fellow stage star, Ben Joyce.
The Welsh star first met her countryman in 2022 when they worked on the Back To The Future musical, with Ben landing the lead role as Marty McFly.
They moved in together last year, and she previously described him as her ‘rock’ after she was drafted into Strictly at the last minute.
‘His life flipped upside down just as much as mine – he has been absolutely amazing,’ she told The Sun.
‘He’s gone above and beyond for me, and I couldn’t have done this experience without him. He is my complete rock. He’s a keeper and he’s from Swansea!’
Strictly Come Dancing finale airs on BBC One at 7pm on Saturday, December 20.
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