Strictly’s Nikita Kuzmin has been praised for standing up for his partner Amber Davies after the former Love Island star was subject to cruel remarks online throughout the duration of the 2025 series.
Kuzmin said Davies had received “hate every single day” from viewers of the show but nevertheless “came every single day into the training room with a big smile, ignoring everybody” with nothing but “love”.
Becoming tearful during the impassioned speech, the pro dancer assured Davies: “You were always so kind, you’re so caring. You care more about me when I’m supposed to care about you.”
He added: “You care about me every single day. You are such a lovely, positive person.”
Addressing Strictly fans at home, Kuzmin pleaded: “Please, please be kind because it costs nothing and you don’t deserve none of that.”
One fan praise the pro on X/Twitter, writing: “Louder for the people in the back for people who feel the need to pick apart every little thing women on this show do,” alongside footage of the pair.
Meanwhile, another user added: “Not to make this about the men but i do take note of which male pros go out of the way to defend their partners and which don't. I think it's telling.”
A third user agreed, commenting: “No one has had as much hate this season as Amber has had…”
Davies received hate online from the moment she was announced to be a Strictly contestant the day before the first live show.
The 29-year-old was rushed in to replace her fellow Love Island alumni Dani Dyer, who suffered an ankle injury during rehearsals and was unable to compete in the BBC dance competition as a result.
The star has received a perfect score for three weeks in a row from the Strictly judges. Nevertheless, the public placed her in the dance off during last week’s Musicals round and called it the “biggest robbery in Strictly history” when she was saved over soap star Lewis Cope.
Ahead of this week’s live show, Davies said she had been trying to “have a thick skin” despite cruel remarks but that the week leading up to Saturday night’s semi-final had been “tougher than usual”.
She told viewers: “I am just doing my best”.
Davies has also been harshly criticised by Strictly fans due to the dance experience she gained as part of her musical theatre training.
Addressing the remarks, the star said in the early weeks of the competition: “Ballroom and Latin are worlds apart from what I’ve experienced on a West End stage. Completely different techniques.”
Davies and Kuzmin finished Saturday night’s live show in second place on the leaderboard with a combined score of 77 out of a maximum 80 for their Couple's Choice dance to “Fly Me to the Moon” by Raye and Tango to “Higher” by Michael Bublé.
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