Regardless of all of the help Amber Davies has obtained for becoming a member of Strictly Come Dancing as a late substitute for the injured Dani Dyer, the previous Love Island star has remained remarkably calm.
Days earlier than the collection’ grand finale, Metro attended the press convention on the BBC’s London headquarters for the three finalists who had reached the ultimate phases of the competitors.
Seated subsequent to her skilled dance companion Nikita Kuzmin in what was aptly described by La Voix (who’re organizing this Strictly Remaining press convention) because the equal of a Premier Inn assembly room with a canapé buffet subsequent to it, the West Finish performer appears to know what’s coming.
In current weeks, the 29-year-old has needed to take care of the whole lot from kinfolk of fellow contestants criticizing “skilled dancers” to viewers claiming she copied a dance routine from the musical The Nice Gatsby.
So the query is on everybody’s lips: what does she take into consideration the ‘hate’ she continues to obtain? How can she silence the noise?
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However for Amber, who insists she “ought to by no means have been right here,” the abuse she suffered is indicative of a bigger downside in our society.
“I’ve plenty of younger girls following me and I did not know what my goal was with Strictly till I spotted I used to be getting plenty of damaging reactions for being good,” Amber tells Metro together with different publications throughout the BBC.
‘I am unable to consider I’ve to say this in 2025, however being formidable as a girl, being assured, having desires and dealing arduous doesn’t suggest you are caught. It doesn’t suggest you are conceited and I wish to change that.’
The Strictly finalist continued: ‘I’ve heard lots of people say, ‘Oh, I simply can’t heat as much as her’, and I feel that is as a result of they do not wish to like me. That is it.
‘On the finish of the day I come from a small city in North Wales and I’ve labored so arduous as a result of I really like what I do. And the truth that I received this [opportunity]nobody would flip Strictly Come Dancing down as a Strictly fan.
“So I simply wish to reiterate: We dwell as soon as. No matter you are formidable about… no matter you care about in life, go after it with each arms. And do not undermine your self to make different individuals really feel snug, as a result of that is not what we’re right here for.
“I nonetheless cannot consider you need to say this in 2025.”
For Amber’s fellow Strictly finalist Karen Carney, who broke a file by changing into the primary footballer to ever attain the ultimate, her expertise on the BBC dance competitors additionally prolonged far past the dance ground.
The previous Arsenal and England footballer, who was capped 144 instances for her nation, explains how participating in Strictly ‘mounted’ one thing in her.
“In all probability during the last 5 or 6 years I have been open and trustworthy about the truth that I have been damage fairly a bit by way of my self-confidence and I could not determine the way to repair that,” the 38-year-old stated.
An avid Strictly fan, Karen says she ‘knew in her coronary heart that Strictly could be the factor to repair me’.
“I do not know why I assumed it might be like that, however each Saturday I watched it and I simply forgot the whole lot else and fell in love with everybody and simply loved their journeys,” she says.
“I assumed if I ever had the chance to hitch it, I felt like this may be the protected surroundings to get well and assist me once more. And that definitely applies to me.’
In the meantime, George Clarke, who’s touted as favourite forward of Saturday’s BBC One remaining, tells the room he has discovered a complete new fanbase of late.
The social media star has 2.3 million followers on TikTok, however all types of followers are beginning to cease him on the road.
“It was psychological,” he says. ‘It is a fully totally different world than I am used to. I am used to performing with a digicam proper in entrance of my face and I lower out all of the junk. Sadly, I am unable to do this on the ballroom ground.”
In addition to “studying to bop,” George claims he “realized rather a lot about himself.”
“It was an actual journey and I actually got here out of my shell,” he explains.
‘I am excited [Strictly] is one thing my household can perceive properly. They’ve all the time been very supportive, however they did not actually know what I used to be doing.’
After Offended Ginge’s win on I am A Celeb, we could possibly be heading in the direction of a scenario the place two social media stars may win tv’s largest competitions.
However for George, he says he is simply comfortable to see the “illustration” of different contestants like himself.
He says, ‘I am excited [social media stars are] a complete demographic group that wasn’t actually mentioned en masse on mainstream TV till just lately. It is good to have some illustration in that regard.”
The Strictly Come Dancing remaining airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday at 7pm.
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