Strictly Come Dancing reveal Dani Dyer replacement as Love Island star forced to quit

Strictly Come Dancing have announced that Amber Davies will replace Dani Dyer on the 2025 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Dani will be replaced by a fellow Love Island winner, with the Welsh actor and TV personality making her debut in tomorrow night's show. Speaking about joining the show so late in the competition, Amber said: "This has been the craziest 24 hours of my life.

"I’ve watched Strictly with my family since I was younger and to now be part of the show is a dream come true. I’m going to give it my all and I am sending Dani well wishes for a speedy recovery. I hope I do her proud."

Amber rose to fame on Love Island back in 2017, winning the reality show with then-boyfriend Kem Cetinay. She has since pursued an acting career, taking to the West End stage in Pretty Woman, 9 to 5: The Musical and The Great Gatsby.

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Amber recently announced that she would be starring in the UK tour of Legally Blonde the Musical, writing on Instagram: ""I am so overwhelmed with this response. I promise you Elle is in such safe hands with me. I'm so excited to be touring her. She's a dream role, you know."

Love Island winner Dani, who was paired with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, said she was "heartbroken" on Tuesday night as she announced she is unable to compete after fracturing her ankle during rehearsals.

Dani, 29, told her Instagram followers she will take "a few days off my socials" to process her departure and will eventually return to set to cheer on the remaining cast.

Seemingly holding back tears, she said in the video on Tuesday evening: "Hi guys, I’m going to do this, and try and do this without crying, but yeah, I’m so heartbroken, like I’ve not felt like this in such a long time.

"I was having the best time ever… It’s just (a) very, very annoying, devastating thing that I’m kind of going through right now, but I’m probably just going to have a few days off my socials just to, you know, process things. I just want to thank you all so much for all your love and support. But yeah, I’m gutted, I’m absolutely gutted."

Everyone at Strictly "is absolutely amazing" and "I’m going to miss them all so much", she said, adding: "I will eventually obviously come along and cheer them all on."

In a statement shared earlier on Tuesday, she said: "I had a fall on Friday in rehearsals and landed funny. I thought I had rolled my foot but it swelled up badly over the weekend and after an MRI scan yesterday, it turns out I have fractured my ankle.

"Apparently doing the quickstep on a fracture is not advisable, and the doctors have said I am not allowed to dance, so I’ve had to pull out of the show. To say I’m heartbroken is the biggest understatement. I am so going to miss dancing with Nikita, but will of course be watching closely and cheering all the couples on."

After the news was announced on the show’s Instagram account, head judge Shirley Ballas replied: "I’m so so sorry. But health is most important. Get well soon Angel."

Professional dancer Amy Dowden said: "Sending you so much love and a speedy recovery." The TV star’s father, the actor Danny Dyer, posted a broken heart emoji.

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