Strictly Star's Public Declaration
West End performer Amber Davies has publicly praised her boyfriend, Ben Joyce, following intense speculation about her close relationship with her Strictly Come Dancing professional partner, Nikita Kuzmin. The 29-year-old actress shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram after Saturday's live show, directly addressing the swirling rumours about her chemistry with the 27-year-old dancer.
Dismissing the 'Strictly Curse'
The speculation ignited after photographs emerged showing Amber and Nikita sharing a warm embrace during a break from their rigorous rehearsal schedule. However, Amber has been quick to insist that her boyfriend, Ben, remains completely unfazed by the gossip and that she has no intention of falling victim to the show's infamous 'curse'.
In a move that reinforced their solidarity, Nikita Kuzmin also mocked the rumours in a tongue-in-cheek social media post over the weekend. A video shared to Amber's Instagram Stories featured Nikita planting a joking kiss on Ben Joyce's head, a clear attempt to laugh off the speculation.
A Supportive Partner Behind the Scenes
Amber's emotional Instagram post featured two snaps of Ben comforting her backstage after the live filming wrapped. Her caption was a gushing thank you to her supportive partner. She wrote that she 'couldn’t do any of this without' Ben, praising him for going 'above and beyond every single day'.
She detailed his unwavering support, mentioning how he picks her up when she's down, is her loudest cheerleader, and even ensures dinner is on the table after long rehearsals and has plasters ready for her sore feet. Amber concluded by calling herself 'the luckiest girl in the world' and stating she has 'won in life' with him.
Further defending their relationship in comments to The Sun, Amber stated, 'The only good thing is Ben is not a****d' about the talk. She also highlighted her close friendship with Nikita's girlfriend, Lauren Jaine, revealing they text 'all day, every day' and that Lauren often visits her dressing room first.
Amber previously explained to the Daily Mail that her and Nikita's close bond formed quickly out of necessity, as they had only hours to learn their first routine together after she replaced the injured Dani Dyer at the last minute. Despite the rumours, a source close to Amber told the publication that any suggestion of the 'Strictly curse' affecting them is 'ridiculous' and 'nonsense', confirming that both Amber and Nikita were unfazed by the pictures as they know the truth.
