Love Island star Amber Davies has addressed backlash she’s received after sharing how much she’s worked recently.
The performer, 28 – who rose to fame as the winner of Love Island in 2017 – posted on Monday about having returned to work for the first time this year. Amber revealed that she was at Universal Music Group studios in London, where she’s thought to record her weekly podcast Call to Stage.
Documenting the trip, she shared a photo of herself posing in a bathroom mirror inside the building. Amber wrote in the post’s accompanying caption on her Instagram Story: “First working day of 2025. ” She added: “Time to buckle up. “
Shortly afterwards she shared a response to the post that she had received on the platform. Alongside a few emojis, including one depicting eye rolling, the response read: “Imagine going over half the month without working. “
Amber shared her thoughts on the apparent criticism in a caption over the message. She recalled having “lived out of a suitcase” whilst in the touring production of musical Pretty Woman last year in her response. The actor had been in a year-long run as lead Vivian Ward in the tour until September.
Addressing the message she’d got, she wrote: “Erm I need the break. I lived out of a suitcase on tour for a whole year with no day off in sight, whilst doing 8 shows a week & then worked all the way up to week before Xmas so … ” Beside two laughing emojis at the end of the caption, Amber concluded: “Don’t judge my unemployed down time. “
She later shared a video message on the platform in which she further addressed the situation. The former Dancing on Ice contestant teased to fans that whilst she “did need a break,” she would have worked “if the work was there”.
Amber said: “I literally love the internet. Everyone’s like ‘you don’t need to justify yourself’. And I’m like ‘justify myself for being self-employed? ‘. ” She added in the video: “Like, yes, I’ve had half of the much off … the majority of the month off … because 1) I’m self-employed and 2) I did need a break, but if the work was there, I would have worked. “
The performer – who’s starred in West End shows like 9 to 5: The Musical since her stint in the villa – is set to return to the stage next month in a concert version of Nine at the Lowry in Salford. It was announced last month that she will play Stephanie in its two performances and she teased on X at the time: “EXTRA EXCITED FOR THIS! What a cast. “
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