Strictly Come Dancing star Amber Davies has told fans “we’re stronger with kindness” after paying tribute to Balvinder Sopal following the weekend’s dance-off.
The Love Island star and the EastEnders actor found themselves in the bottom two in Sunday night’s results show and, having survived five previous dance-offs, Strictly record-breaker Sopal was eliminated from the competition.
Davies – who will perform in this Saturday’s grand final alongside Karen Carney and George Clarke – has now shared a post on Instagram, saying: “To you [Sopal], to do this experience next to you has been the biggest gift and life lesson, your strength and resilience has inspired me every single day. You are one of a kind, I will always be #TeamBal.”
In a post on her Instagram Story, Davies reflected on being in the final three and thanked fans for their support over the weekend.
“I just want to come on here and say in the close to a decade I’ve been in the public eye, I have never experienced an outpouring of love the way I have in the last 48 hours,” she said in the video message. “To make the Strictly final is… I’m speechless. From how it started, I genuinely can’t believe I've made it to the end.”
“I think I’ve needed to do Strictly to realise there’s so much kindness in the world,” she continued. “We’re stronger when we’re kinder. I’m going to enjoy every single second of this week. I’m rooting for George, I’m rooting for Kaz and I’m just there to enjoy the ride.”
Davies’ comments came after her professional partner Nikita Kuzmin made a plea with viewers to “be kind” as he said the star has received “hate every single day” of the series.
Speaking in Saturday night’s live show, the Ukrainian dancer said: “You have had so much hate every single day from the moment you joined, you've had so much hate this week and yet, you came every single day into the training room with a big smile ignoring everybody.”
He continued: “I think sometimes, and I speak to the audience at home, just please be kind because it costs nothing and you don't deserve none of it. You only deserve love because without you I wouldn't be here, and the show wouldn't be as good as it is.”
Davies had a particularly tough week in the run-up to Saturday night’s semi-final, having beaten Strictly favourite Lewis Cope in the quarter-final dance-off.
“I would like to think I have thick skin, but obviously the start of the week has been tougher than usual,” she said during an appearance on spin-off show It Takes Two last week.
“I would just like to remind everybody that I was never supposed to be here. I was a quick replacement. I’m just doing my best.”
