TRY not to judge a book by its cover.

Even if the cover in the case of Amber Davies has been for the most part a brightly coloured swimsuit, featuring occasional droplets of tear-stained eyeshadow.

Amber is of course famous for her stint on ITV2’s Love Island just two years ago.

Amber fell in love during the run of the show with Kem Cetinay.

And the nation took the couple to their hearts.

For about 20 mins, which is about as long as the time the relationship lasted.

Then it all came crashing down in the love temple.

But Amber is over that and now focused on her career. She’s starring as Judy in 9-5, (the Jane Fonda role) .

And it will come as a surprise to many that the North Wales-born performer can relay so much more to an audience than a revealing smile and an even more revealing wardrobe.

“My character is a young woman who’s very reliant upon her husband,” she explains.

“She’s never had a job in her life but then her husband leaves her for someone else.

“That makes you sort of realise what a strong woman she is.

“Now she has to go out and graft. What we learn is she really needed to become an independent strong woman.”

Judy doesn’t sound too much like Amber Davies.

She grins; “By the end of the show she becomes a little more like me.”

The musical, with a score by Dolly Parton, tells the story of Doralee, Violet (Louise Redknapp) and Judy.

The three workmates are pushed to boiling point by their sexist and egotistical boss.

Concocting a plan to kidnap and turn the tables on their despicable supervisor, will the ladies manage to reform their office - or will events unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit?

Amber adds; “It’s a bit of a crazy storyline, but it’s really good fun.

“It’s exhausting, travelling around the country. I didn’t realise how tiring it would be after being stuck in one place ( the West End) for seven months.

“But at the same time I get to meet all these new people and it’s amazing. And really rewarding.”

Was she trepidatious about taking on a massive West End show?

“No, I was just so glad to be back on stage and the fact it’s done so well in the West End is amazing.

“We’ve done such a good job on it.”

Amber has long been dedicated to musical theatre.

Having attended youth theatre, aged 16 she was desperate to leave home to study full time.

“I studied for three years, and it was so tough. You had to be in college for a quarter to eight in the morning.

“But it was a great course. And then I worked for six months on a cruise ship as a lead singer.

“It made me grow up. I had to be on my own and take care of myself.”

She has also worked as an entertainer as part of London’s circus themed club night Cirque Le Soir – the same saucy club where Love Island’s 2016 winner Cara de la Hoyde performed at before joining the show.

But why go on Love Island?

“I struggled so hard to get into the West End,” she admits.

“ I tried really hard to get into musicals but I guess I always looked too young.

“So when the opportunity to go on Love Island came up I had to take it.”

She muses; “I think experience begins when you’re at the end of your comfort zone.”

But Love Island doesn’t look too uncomfortable, unless you factor in a little prickly heat?

Or perhaps one of the contestants leaves a plate in the beautiful kitchen sink?

“No, you have to go without your phone, no concept of time.,” she maintains.

“It’s a real crazy experience and it could have gone so wrong for me. But I learned so much from it all.”

She adds; “And I pride myself in being a trustful person.”

Ambers says she couldn’t trust her heart not to fall in love.

“I think people underestimate how powerful the villa experience really is.

“It’s just you and this person for so long and all you do for a summer is talk about how you feel for each other.”

But she and Kem were not meant to be?

“It was just work schedules.”

She pauses; “I don’t really want to speak about it anymore. I’d rather get back to 9 to 5.”

Which is where we’ll go, Amber.

But this experience did give you the profile to land the West End roles?

Had this possibility been in the back of her mind all along?

“There was no plan, this wasn’t a tactic. But everything happens for a reason. It has all worked out.

“I’ve launched my own clothing range, I’ve flown all over Europe.

“But I didn’t want to rely upon my Instagram success so after Love Island I went out and got myself and acting agent.”

Along with the rest of the Love Island cast, she raked in the money doing personal appearances, charging £5,000 an hour.

“But I felt a little bit lost. I had put so much love and dedication into building my stage craft and I really wanted to make that work for me. “

Amber’s sister is also a West End performer. “She’s always been my role model. She showed me the way ahead.

Will they go up for the same roles?

“Not likely. She’s more of an English rose. But if we did there wouldn’t be any bad blood.

Did the 22 year-old experience a little bit of acting snobbery on going into the West End?

“Yes, there was was a little bit of that, but if people are small minded and cast judgement without seeing what I can do that’s up to them.”

She adds, smiling; “Reality TV doesn’t define who I am. Just because I’ve been on Love Island doesn’t mean I can’t sing, act and dance.”

9 to 5, the King’s Theatre, October 8-12.