Amber Davies pulls out of Legally Blonde musical mid-show after falling ill and claiming her body is ‘fighting for its life’ – as her understudy is forced to step in amid ‘backstage tension’

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Amber Davies, known from Love Island and Strictly Come Dancing, had to stop performing in Legally Blonde the musical during a show because she became unwell.

The star left the stage after revealing she was experiencing burn-out. Her role as Elle Woods was then taken over by her understudy, Hannah Lowther.

Hannah, a popular TikTok creator with 1.3 million followers and a graduate of Italia Conti Academy, is reportedly facing some friction with her fellow performers. Sources suggest others feel she’s significantly more talented, as reported by Mail+’s Olivia Kemp this week.

After her performance, Amber shared a health update on Instagram, revealing that her recent busy schedule – including roles in The Great Gatsby, a last-minute appearance on Strictly, and immediately starting Legally Blonde – had taken a toll on her well-being.

She shared a selfie with a long caption explaining she was sick and taking antibiotics, which meant she wouldn’t be performing for now. 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 was flooded with comments from fans. Hannah, who normally plays Elle’s friend Margot in the musical adaptation of the 2001 movie, was also mentioned.

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

I’ve been battling 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 struggling, this will take much longer to resolve than it should. I really can’t wait to feel like myself again and be back performing! Thanks so much – Amber

Honestly, I’ve been having to give myself a pep talk lately! It’s been a whirlwind – going from fitting into a glamorous ‘Gatsby’ costume, to getting in shape for ‘Strictly’ at the last minute, and then shifting gears again for ‘Elle’. My body is definitely feeling the effects of all that change, and it’s reminding me it’s working hard to adjust!

I often remind myself that it’s okay to not feel well – we’re all human. But it’s especially tough because there’s never a good time to be sick when you’re working on a musical!

TikTok users praised Hannah Lowther after she seamlessly switched roles mid-performance, stepping in as Elle after originally playing Margot. One audience member shared a video with the caption: ‘Hannah Lowther is a superhero!’

During today’s performance, Amber Davies unfortunately fell ill, so Hannah Lowther stepped in to play Elle instead of Margot. The poster expressed appreciation for understudies and those who cover roles.

Amber leaving will likely worsen her already strained relationship with Hannah. Hannah reviews the Thursday afternoon performance of the show, while Amber performs in seven shows each week.

Sources close to the show told Mail+ that Hannah’s increasingly noticeable talent is becoming hard for her fellow cast members to overlook.

According to a source, while everyone working behind the scenes is professional, there’s sometimes tension between the two performers. The source explained that when a backup performer receives a lot of positive attention online, it naturally becomes a topic of conversation.

Last month, when 29-year-old Amber got sick 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 highlighted the contrast, saying Hannah consistently delivers while Amber doesn’t seem to contribute much.

During a recent preview performance last month, Amber surprised the audience when she momentarily forgot the dance steps and glanced across the stage at Hannah, appearing to copy her movements.

The video—captured by someone in the audience—quickly went viral, and Amber responded with a TikTok explaining she found the mistake ’embarrassing’.

Oh my gosh, she actually said she totally spaced that dance break! I was watching, and you can see her glance at Hannah, trying to figure out the hand movements! It’s so cute and funny, but she’s mortified it’s going to be replayed forever! I mean, it’s iconic, honestly. I’ll be watching that part on repeat for years, and I don’t even care that she thinks it’s embarrassing! It just makes her even more lovable!

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2026-03-12 12:34