Strictly Come Dancing partners Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin set the ballroom alight on Saturday night with an electrifying Paso Doble that earned them top marks and silenced speculation about their off-stage relationship.
The Performance That Stole the Show
The West End star and professional dancer delivered what many viewers called the performance of the season, dancing to Aerosmith's Dream On with such intensity that it left the audience breathless. The judges awarded them an impressive 38 out of 40 points, placing them firmly at the top of the leaderboard.
Social media erupted immediately after their routine, with fans taking to X (formerly Twitter) to express their amazement. One viewer wrote: 'Amber and Nikita doing the best Paso Doble of the season, OH MY GOD INCREDIBLE,' while another commented: 'Gosh! Someone put the air conditioning on! Amber and Nikita wow!'
Addressing the Rumours Head-On
The spectacular performance came after Amber directly addressed growing speculation about her relationship with dance partner Nikita. The rumours began when photographs emerged showing Nikita giving Amber an intimate kiss on the forehead during rehearsal breaks.
In an interview with The Sun prior to Saturday's show, Amber firmly stated that their relationship is strictly platonic. 'I cannot give it any more breath,' she declared. 'Strictly is a less intense environment to what I'm used to on stage. You do get close to people, but this is a walk in the park.'
When questioned about the infamous 'Strictly curse' that has seen relationships form between dance partners, Amber dismissed it as 'nonsense' and revealed she's good friends with Nikita's girlfriend.
Support From the Sidelines
Adding to the evidence that all was well behind the scenes, Amber's boyfriend Ben Joyce was prominently cheering from the audience during Saturday's live show. In a lighthearted moment that further dispelled rumours, Nikita was seen kissing Ben on the forehead backstage at the Strictly studios.
Amber later shared an emotional tribute to Ben on her Instagram Story, writing: 'I couldn't do any of this without you by my side @benj0yce. Thank you for going above and beyond every single day... I am genuinely the luckiest girl in the world.'
Sources close to the dancer confirmed to the Daily Mail that the speculation about romance had not affected the pair's partnership, stating: 'It's ridiculous for anyone to believe there's anything going on between Amber and Nikita. The pictures didn't affect them at all because they know the truth.'
The duo now moves forward in the competition with their professional relationship stronger than ever, having proven that intense chemistry on the dance floor doesn't necessarily translate to romance off it.
