The BBC has announced that former Love Island winner Amber Davies will replace Dani Dyer on Strictly Come Dancing.
Davies, who won the ITV reality show’s third series in 2017, will be paired with Nikita Kuzmin after Dyer quit the series due to a fractured ankle.
“This has been the craziest 24 hours of my life,” Davies said after stepping in two days before the live episodes kick off.
“I’ve watched Strictly with my family since I was younger and to now be part of the show is a dream come true.”
She said she will give it her all and sent Dyer well wishes for a speedy recovery, adding: “I hope I do her proud.”
After appearing on Love Island, Davies embarked on an acting career and has had stage roles in West End musicals 9 to 5, Bring It On, Back to the Future and Pretty Woman.
Next year, she will play Reese Witherspoon’s role in a Legally Blonde musical.
Dyer said she was heartbroken she had to quit the show in an emotional post met with support from her fellow competitors, including Vicky Pattinson and Thomas Skinner.
“I had a fall on Friday in rehearsals and landed funny,” Dyer said, adding that doctors had advised her to pull out of the show.
“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.”
Kuzmin said Dyer’s departure from the series had broken his heart, writing on Instagram: “So so gutted to have finished our journey before it even properly started.”
He continued: “The amount of laughs and fun we had in this short time was unbelievable.
“Really loved our partnership and hope that one day we can actually get to week one lol but, health is the most important thing.”
He added that he hoped they could participate in the show together next year instead, and called Dyer a wonderful human being: “It breaks my heart knowing how excited you were to do your absolute best on the show!”
Dyer is not the first star to quit this year’s show. Last month, Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn was forced to withdraw on medical grounds.
He was replaced by Emmerdale star Lewis Cope, who has become a swift favourite after his debut in last weekend’s launch show.
Strictly’s live shows kick off on Saturday.
