There are three reasons why I know Amber Davies will win Strictly

This time yesterday, I had no idea who was going to win Strictly Come Dancing 2025, but now I’m certain.

After days of suspense and speculation, we finally have the answer to who’s going to fill the Dani Dyer-shaped hole the devastated Love Islander left when she was forced to withdraw from the series due to an ankle injury.

While fans have every reason to be optimistic that she’ll be back for another go in 2026, the BBC has confirmed that theatre talent and fellow Love Island champ Amber Davies will be taking her place on the dancefloor this time around.

Not only does this mean fan-favourite Ukrainian pro Nikita Kuzmin will still get his chance to shine with a partner, but it’s also shattered any doubts in my mind about who is going to lift the Glitter Ball trophy.

Amber. 

The 28-year-old West End actress has given me three reasons to back her unwaveringly, the first being that we’ve seen it before. 

In 2019, Made in Chelsea alum Jamie Laing was announced as a Strictly contestant, paired with the legendary Oti Mabuse, and all sequined and spray-tanned, raring to go on launch night.

Alas, disaster struck when he suffered a foot injury and had to pull out.

Bosses roped in Emmerdale’s Kelvin Fletcher to take his spot. Proving the universe works in weird and wonderful ways at times, he went on to be crowned the series victor, simultaneously kickstarting Oti’s two-year winning streak ahead of her next partnership with Bill Bailey.

That is to say, being a last-minute stand-in will do nothing to scupper Amber’s chances.

Kelvin’s week one hip action was a sight to behold, and I think I speak for the nation when I say, after that samba, we knew what his Strictly trajectory was — and I predict the same for Amber.

Her casting has all the ingredients of a sumptuous Strictly success story.

Viewers get a thrill out of backing an underdog, someone who’s stepped up last minute and at a disadvantage rehearsal-wise, having had days rather than weeks to prepare for their inaugural performance.

We love throwing our support behind someone who – even if they have the credentials on paper – should be set for failure, and we get sweet satisfaction from watching them climb onto the podium at the end.

So, even for those unacquainted with Amber’s showbiz CV and extensive performance experience, she’s already a dark horse.

The second reason I have no qualms about championing her for the win is that I know what she’s capable of — and I reckon she’s on a quest for justice.

In 2024, Amber competed in Dancing On Ice, the contest’s penultimate series before its axe. She came within touching distance of the final, but ultimately placed fifth, despite being awarded a top score by judges in the semi-final.

Instead, the programme maintained its frustrating years-long streak of male winners, crowning Corrie’s Ryan Thomas.

Now she’s got that chapter under her belt, and had a taste of what it takes to be a contender in a show with a very similar format, I reckon Amber has a fire in her belly.

Viewers made it abundantly clear at the time what they thought of her elimination, voicing rage when she failed to even get a bronze medal and putting Dancing On Ice on blast.

With that in the back of her mind, spurring her on, I trust that Amber is now going for gold and the trophy she should’ve already had.

And the third reason why she’s my champ before I’ve even seen her kick ball change is because it feels like I don’t even have to. 

Amber is a theatre extraordinaire and far more than a name on the Love Island winners list Wikipedia page.

She’s had roles in 9 to 5: The Musical, Back to the Future: The Musical (both on the West End) and Pretty Woman (which toured the UK), and I have no doubt her ease in front of an audience helped Strictly execs decide who would be capable of performing to millions of TV viewers at such short notice.

She’s fresh off the back of a stint in The Great Gatsby on the West End and is due to play the beloved role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde’s UK tour, which begins in February. All this is only testament to her work ethic and proves 12-hour days, reduced sleep, and chaotic schedules will be no daunting feat for her.

Amber is an all-singing, all-dancing, all-acting professional.

Of course, one of the best things about Strictly is its unpredictability, and we’ve had plenty of unexpected eliminations (and winners) in the past, so who knows what could unfold on that dancefloor.

But one thing is certain in my eyes, and it’s that Amber Davies will grab hold of any task presented to her with both hands, and she will tackle it with everything she has, whether it be a lift, a kick, a flick, or a twirl.

Some may argue that her past performance experience already gives her a head-start, as has long been criticised among viewers (see: Ashley Roberts, Layton Williams, Alexandra Burke, and Tasha Ghouri), and Amber certainly has tough competitors this year thanks to Lewis Cope (a fellow musical theatre star who is favourite in the betting odds) and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (who wowed everyone in last year’s Christmas special).

But when that curtain lifts and the music kicks in, I’ll be able to sit back and watch without fear.

This girl knows what she’s doing, and I can’t wait to see it all.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

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