STRICTLY star Amber Davies has taken a cheeky swipe at dance partner Nikita Kuzmin after their dance off agony.
The West End star, 29, and her pro partner landed top scores from the dance show judges at the weekend but almost left the contest on Sunday.
The pair appeared on tonight’s episode of Strictly’s It Takes Two after they had to take part in the dreaded dance-off.
Amber revealed that being in the bottom two after the viewer vote, was “the worst feeling in the world”.
Sat next to her pro partner Nikita, she couldn’t help making a cheeky dig at him as they talked about rehearsals ahead of Halloween Week this Saturday.
Talking about their relationship Amber said: “He was really annoying last week, and this week I love him lots.
“Yeah, it’s a rollercoaster. You know, it’s a rollercoaster.”
It comes as sources close to Amber told The Sun about how she felt after being in the dance-off.
“Amber was gutted but is seeing this as a chance for a fresh start and is putting her best foot forward,” our insider said.
“She’s genuinely loving the opportunity even if she can’t do anything to change the viewers’ mind about her background.
“What she can do, though, is enjoy every minute and treat every week as if it’s the last.
“Being in the bottom has given her a new perspective.
“Throughout there has been all of this noise about her dance training giving her an advantage, but its not helped her here, and it just goes to show no one is safe.”
Amber and Nikita came joint second on the leaderboard, but once viewer votes were added, landed in the bottom two alongside Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink.
She’s performed consistently well since joining in week one to replace injured Dani Dyer.
But fans who prefer Strictly celebrities’ to undertake a dance journey have railed against her, arguing she is paid to dance as part of her day job.
Speaking online this weekend Amber said: “Strictly is very character building. I have a lot more mental strength than I realised.
“After this situation, for my mental health, I am not going to think that far forward.
“I can’t face another bottom two.”
The source added: “Amber totally gets viewers’ opinions so she’s just going to try and enjoy the experience.
“She’s trying to remember that every week is a bonus, as she wasn’t even meant to be on the series.
“It’s an entertainment show and she’s loving being part of it for however long she is there.”
Other members of this year’s cast also have experience, including soapstar Lewis Cope, drag queen La Voix and footballer Karen Carney.