Break a leg! Here are some of the biggest influencers who ditched TV for the West End

As an extremely well respected theatre district, the West End can sometimes appear exclusive and untouchable. After all, once you’ve hosted some of theatre’s most iconic shows such as Wicked, Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, you’re allowed to boast some prestige.

This occasionally leads to surprise and backlash from the public when West End casting announcements include social media influencers. But here’s a handful of influencers appearing on the West End this summer who have more than earned their place there, despite their previous TV or YouTube stints.

Amber Davies

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A post shared by The Great Gatsby Musical in London (@ldngatsby)

Amber Davies made headlines when it was announced she would be playing Jordan Baker in the West End production of The Great Gatsby: A New Musical. She has certainly earned these accolades, delivering stellar performances since the opening night in April. While some might know her as the winner of 2017’s Love Island alongside Kem Cetinay, she has been a performer long before she was boosted to fame. Amber actually graduated from the Urdang Academy in 2016, where she studied Dance and Musical Theatre.

Despite facing criticism that she was only cast in The Great Gatsby because she is a popular influencer, musical theatre is certainly not a new passion of hers. Viewers might remember that she shared her dream of performing on the West End on Love Island – and she has! She has since appeared in productions such as 9 to 5: The Musical in 2019, Back to the Future: The Musical in 2022, and Pretty Woman: The Musical in 2023. The Great Gatsby will be her seventh professional musical theatre role.

And Amber Davies is not the only Love Island contestant to have a career on the West End.

Samira Mighty

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Samira Mighty, who featured on Love Island 2018 season, performed in Mamma Mia! and Dreamgirls on the West End in 2017. She also had a minor role in the 2017 Beauty and the Beast film. Since leaving the show, she has focused more on her singing career and has been releasing music since 2022.

Carrie Hope Fletcher

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Carrie Hope Fletcher is a well aeasoned West End performer who has been gracing its stages since the age of seven. She returns once more to the UK and Ireland’s stages to star in Calamity Jane as the titular character.

Creating a YouTube channel at the age of 19 which now has more than half a million followers, Carrie is one of theatre’s most beloved actresses and online influencers. Her socials allow us insights into behind the scenes action of shows she’s performing in, and clips from her performances. However, she also shows glimpses of her married life as a new mother, and stories from growing up in theatre.

Courtney Bowman

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A post shared by Courtney Bowman ☀︎ (@courtneyebowman)

A member of the original casts of both Everyone’s Talking About Jamie and Six, Courtney Bowman has been a well celebrated actress and singer since 2016. The proud Midlands girl is currently starring as Lauren in Kinky Boots, which is receiving stellar reviews across the country.

The actress held various COVID safe concerts during the closure of theatres in 2020 and appeared on numerous podcasts. She now shares behind-the-scenes photos, lip-syncing videos with cast mates, and her life outside of theatre on her socials.

Sydnie Christmas

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Following iconic actresses such as Kerry Ellis and Faye Tozer, Sydnie Christmas will be playing Cruella de Vil this summer. Sydnie has a real rags to riches story, fitting the musical theatre world she is now immersing herself in. Almost ready to give up on theatre, Sydnie applied for Britain’s Got Talent as one last attempt at her dream. She then went on to win the 2024 season after delivering stellar performances, which catapulted her to fame.

My Way, her 2024 debut album influenced by her struggles and successes, has charted on both Spotify and Apple Music. Sydnie now boasts a mass social media following on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, sharing clips of her music, her reactions to castings and celebrity recognitions, and her hard earned journey to success.

Featured image via Instagram @amb_d @samiramighty and TikTok @carriehfletcher