"That's showbiz baby" were likely the words that rang through Love Islander Amber Davies' brain when she was seconded to star on Strictly Come Dancing in place of Dani Dyer who had to exit the show ahead of the first live show following an ankle fracture. But while many celebrities would be thrown by the last-minute opportunity, as a thirving star of London's West End, last-minute is Amber's bread and butter – and her week two samba with Nikita is perfect proof of how quickly the two managed to pull it together!
"What just happened !!!! 48 hours ago I had never met @nikita__kuzmin and we just danced a waltz on @bbcstrictly ?!?!?! I feel every emotion under the sun right now but mostly so unbelievable GRATEFUL to have experienced that special moment tonight!" wrote the former 9-5 star in a caption on Instagram.
While Amber is 'West End Wendy' through and through - having recently starred as Jordan Baker alongside Corbin Blue in The Great Gatsby - so too is her actor boyfriend Ben Joyce - and they even starred opposite each other under the bright lights of the West End stage.
Who is Ben Joyce?
Just like Amber, Ben is a Welsh performer, graduating from one of the country's leading drama schools with a first-class degree.
He made his professional debut in 2021 as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys, before he went on to play Marty McFly in Back to the Future – where he met Amber – as well as securing a role in the Amazon Prime Video show The Power. In the production, Amber starred as Lorraine Baines McFly, while Ben continues to play the leading role of Marty McFly.
When did Amber and Ben start dating?
Joyce first started posting couple snaps with Davies three years ago – which would make sense, since it was in 2022 that both appeared in the Back to the Future musical. Since then, the pair have been on holiday to Greece and Mexico together. In June, the pair took their relationship to the next level and moved in together.
If one thing's for sure, it's that Ben could't be more supportive of his starlet girlfriend. He wrote: "Does she ever stop? ! ! No she doesn't!!" on social media.
Meanwhile, discussing her latest opportunity, 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." She added: "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."
Their 'accidental' love story
Appearing on Lorraine, Amber revealed how she 'accidentally' fell in love with her West End beau.
"He was in Jersey Boys and now he's playing Marty. He is one of the most kindest most caring people I've ever met. The plan was to be single for a while and then I accidentally fell in love with my co-star. "He's just a ray of sunshine and he's so loved by everyone in the cast. He's so talented; he's lovely."