Amber Davies addresses lingering ‘feud’ rumours with Legally Blonde musical understudy as she reveals extreme lengths she’s going to in order to recover from chest infection

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Amber Davies, who plays the lead in Legally Blonde: The Musical, has again used social media to respond to ongoing speculation about a disagreement with her understudy, Hannah Lowther.

Amber is currently on sick leave from her role as Elle Woods, and Hannah has taken over, following reports of a disagreement behind the scenes.

She assured everyone she’ll return to the show and is working hard to get over her chest infection quickly.

Hey everyone, I wanted to quickly address some rumors I’ve been seeing. I’m definitely not leaving ‘Legally Blonde,’ I’m not taking any time off, and there’s absolutely no bad blood with anyone. I’ve just been battling a pretty stubborn chest infection for over a month and finally finishing up the antibiotics. That’s all! I’m feeling much better and excited to get back to it.

The work we’re passionate about and dedicate our careers to can be incredibly hard on our bodies, and it’s important to remember that we aren’t immune to its effects.

Everyone gets sick sometimes, it’s part of being human. It’s also frustrating to see unfair criticism directed at women who work incredibly hard.

I’m looking forward to returning to the stage as quickly as possible. I’m so grateful for my wonderful team at Legally Blonde, especially Hannah Lowther, who have been incredibly supportive.

She posted a photo of the oxygen chamber she’s using to help her recover. She’ll be spending an hour inside it each day for three days.

It seems I need to stay on antibiotics for a bit longer, as I’m not recovering as quickly as I’d hoped, but I’m almost better now.

The show faced new problems on Saturday when fans expressed their disappointment with the change to a ‘concert version.’ This decision was made because many cast members were sick.

The show has faced recent controversy due to claims of a growing conflict between Amber and Hannah, though both have strongly denied any issues.

Fans who bought tickets for the Milton Keynes show are disappointed to learn it will now be a concert-style performance due to several cast members being sick.

A TikTok video revealed that, due to some last-minute cast changes, the show would be performed differently than planned. Instead of a traditional performance, the actors would sit onstage and read through the script, delivering lines and songs without any scenes or costume changes.

Some viewers appreciated the effort to continue the show despite difficulties, but others were disappointed because the final result wasn’t what they expected from the original performance they paid for.

A TikTok video captured the beginning of a performance where a theatre manager explained that the show had been affected by a significant number of cast and crew members falling ill. They said, ‘As you may already know, we’ve had a really tough week with many people in the company – both on stage and behind the scenes – getting sick.’

Everyone involved has been putting in a tremendous amount of effort to ensure the show goes on. The team worked all night to deliver a great version for you today.

Some audience members said they enjoyed the performance, particularly the singing and Jodie’s portrayal of Paulette. However, they felt the show didn’t live up to the quality of the West End version they expected, given the price they paid.

The performance was very simple: there were no sets, costume changes only happened during intermission, and almost no props or dancing. Most of the actors simply sat and read their lines.

Honestly, it felt like we were watching a dress rehearsal, which was incredibly disappointing considering we each paid £70 for a ticket! I’ll definitely be contacting them for a refund. You could tell the cast were giving it their all, which made it even more frustrating – it wasn’t their fault, but the show just wasn’t ready.

‘Should have cancelled and given refunds – nothing against the cast but that’s so unprofessional;’

I was really disappointed with what I received and would definitely request a refund. It’s unacceptable to not receive anything at all!

I’d definitely ask for my money back. It feels like the people in charge are just trying to avoid giving refunds and keep the profits.

I have a lot of respect for the actors who did their best under difficult circumstances, but the company made a mistake by not postponing the show. They seemed more concerned with saving money than with delivering a quality performance. It’s understandable that audience members feel shortchanged, especially those who traveled a long way and spent a lot on tickets, when the show lacked key elements like choreography, props, costumes, and sets, and essentially became a script reading on stage.

This feels like a high school drama practice, not a professional show! I really feel for the cast who are sick and can’t perform, and for the audience who were looking forward to it. However, it’s really poor planning by the production team to cancel with such short notice to people who paid for tickets.

One audience member praised the show, saying it felt more like a laid-back performance than a typical concert, without the usual sets and props. They explained that while it was a different experience, they were still incredibly impressed by the performers’ talent and felt it highlighted the true essence of theatre. They concluded that the show was a huge success!

A new video revealed more details about the significantly reduced show. The caption explained that there wasn’t really a performance – scripts were left on stage, most of the actors weren’t present, and they were upset they hadn’t been warned about these changes.

‘The show should have been cancelled and people should have been offered a refund.’

One fan commented: ‘At this point I think cancellation and refund would be better;’

I’m scheduled to attend on Wednesday, and I’ll be very upset if something goes wrong. I understand that people get sick, but I expect either the event to be cancelled or a refund offered, since we’re not receiving what we paid for. The quality of the performance on stage is also very poor.

I completely agree. It’s baffling to see people defend this – ticket prices are now nearly £70! It’s definitely not the actors’ fault, but this isn’t the experience we originally paid for.

Hold on a second! Was a refund not offered as a possibility? Are you saying we were simply told it was the concert, take it or leave it?

I’ve noticed that when shows are moved to concerts, there’s usually a choice: you can either keep your ticket and go to the concert, or get your money back. It’s unfair to make people pay full price for a concert they didn’t originally sign up for, especially if they don’t want to go.

Both Amber and Hannah recently denied rumors of a disagreement between them, responding to claims of a secret ‘feud’.

Amber, who plays a leading role in Legally Blonde: The Musical, had to stop performing mid-show and will be taking a break after becoming ill earlier this week.

The star revealed she was experiencing burnout and left her role as Elle Woods. Her understudy, Hannah, will now take over the part.

Hannah, a TikTok star with 1.3 million followers and training from the Italia Conti Academy, is reportedly facing behind-the-scenes friction. Sources suggest her peers believe she’s significantly more talented, as reported by Daily Mail+’s Olivia Kemp this week.

Hannah used Instagram to deny any reports of a disagreement, and Amber quickly followed up by showing her support in the comments.

Hannah shared a video of herself getting ready for a show, and wrote a message expressing her wish for a world where women aren’t constantly compared to each other.

She went on to describe a world where everyone could flourish, simply live, or achieve their goals without facing negativity or being deliberately harmed.

Alongside the clip, she added: ‘Exhausting actually…please be kind’, alongside a love-heart emoji. 

Okay, so Amber just had to publicly show love for her understudy after the post went up! She commented ‘We’ve got each other always’ with a little heart – seriously, it was the cutest! I’m living for this supportive energy, honestly. It just proves how amazing she is, always lifting others up! I screenshotted it, obviously.

This follows Amber’s recent health update, where she revealed that appearing in The Great Gatsby, unexpectedly joining Strictly, and quickly starting Legally Blonde had taken a toll on her well-being.

She shared a selfie with a long post explaining she was sick and taking antibiotics, meaning she wouldn’t be performing for a while. She didn’t mention what happened when she left the stage mid-performance, or address anything about Hannah.

After Amber announced she was leaving, TikTok filled with comments. Many people also shared their support for Hannah, who normally plays Elle’s friend Margot in the musical inspired by the 2001 movie.

Amber posted on Instagram to let her fans know why she’s been away. She explained that after talking to her doctor, continuing to perform while on antibiotics and trying to recover wasn’t helping her health at all…

I’ve been dealing with a persistent illness for the past month, so I’ll need to take some time off from playing Elle Woods. It’s incredibly disappointing, but unfortunately, it’s unavoidable.

I’m worried that if I just keep trying to power through, I’ll struggle with this for much longer than necessary. I’m really looking forward to feeling like myself again and being back on stage! Thank you – Amber

She also mentioned she’s constantly reminding herself how quickly her body has changed, going from preparing for a role as Gatsby, to a last-minute appearance on Strictly, and then to Elle – it’s clearly been a physically demanding period.

I always have to tell myself it’s okay to not feel 100% – we are human, after all! But honestly, as someone deeply involved in musical theatre, I know there’s never a good time to be sick. The schedule just doesn’t allow for it, ever.

TikTok users praised Hannah Lowther after she seamlessly switched roles during a performance, going from playing Margot to Elle within the first act. One audience member called her a ‘superhero’ and shared a video of the impressive transition.

The user shared that Amber Davies felt sick during the performance, so Hannah Lowther stepped in to play Elle instead of Margot. They expressed appreciation for understudies and those who cover roles.

As a huge fan of the show, I’ve been hearing whispers from people on set that Hannah’s really been turning heads with her performances. Apparently, it’s gotten to the point where the other cast members can’t help but notice how much attention she’s getting – it’s become pretty impossible to ignore!

When Amber got sick last month and had to take time off work while recovering with antibiotics, Hannah filled in for her. The online response was swift and harsh.

One user praised Hannah’s incredible energy, and another contrasted her positively with Amber, saying Hannah consistently delivers while Amber doesn’t.

During a recent preview performance, Amber surprised the audience when she momentarily forgot part of the dance routine. She was seen looking to Hannah across the stage for help with the steps.

The video of Amber’s mistake – captured by someone in the audience – quickly spread online. She then responded with a TikTok video, calling the moment ’embarrassing’.

She admitted she was caught off guard by the dance break and felt viewers could see her looking to Hannah for cues, specifically copying her hand movements. She jokingly lamented that this awkward moment would likely be remembered for the rest of her professional life.

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2026-03-17 12:51