Strictly’s sexiest dances…Gemma Atkinson’s ‘erotic’ burlesque number to pole dance that saw BBC flooded with complaints
IT is billed as wholesome family entertainment but things often get rather steamy in the Strictly ballroom.
Some stars‘ racy routines have been known to leave astonished viewers hot under the collar – and the judges so flustered they are lost for words.
And every year, at least one of the dancing duos’ antics appear so intimate that everyone is convinced secret romances are brewing behind the scenes.
Here we take a look back on some of the sexiest moments in Strictly’s twenty year history.
‘Erotic, sultry and stunning’
In the 2017 final Gemma Atkinson left judge Bruno Tonioli panting with delight over her ‘erotic, sultry and stunning’ showdance.
“Where have you been hiding? You’re a blonde bombshell!” he whooped.
The racy showdance started with Gemma, 39, straddling giant neon letters spelling her name before crawling and high-kicking her way along them.
Head judge Shirley Ballas gave the actress and her partner Aljaz Skorjanec a roaring standing ovation after their routine to Christina Aguilera’s Show Me How You Burlesque.
And Darcey Bussell raved: “We’re seeing another side of you, the sassy Gemma, I absolutely loved the staging and choreography.”
Sadly it wasn’t enough to win them the glitterball as Joe McFadden was eventually crowned the winner.
‘So sexy it hurts’
In 2021 AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington dazzled on the dance floor.
And fans branded their rumba the sexiest in the show’s history.
At one point their Couple’s Choice routine to Janelle Monáe’s Make Me Feel saw AJ, 36, wrap her legs provocatively around Kai.
And eagle-eyed viewers even saw Kai touch AJ’s bum.
Earlier in the series, in Movie Week, the couple danced the American Smooth.
Their faces were incredibly close together at the end of the dance, leaving viewers convinced they were about to kiss.
Unsurprisingly, fans had a lot to say about the flirty choreography.
Taking to social media, one gushed: “AJ & Kai were incredible! So f**king sexy it hurts. Should’ve been all 10s!!”
Another exclaimed: “Oh my god that was the sexiest thing EVER AJ and Kai”.
A third questioned if it was too sexy for the family show, writing: “That was a bit much for a family show. AJ is brilliant though.”
And one more tweeted: “Everyone else in obviously-dancing-costumes and AJ and Kai just looking like they’re on a very hot date I love it.”
‘Nearly kissed’
Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty and professional dancer Katya Jones had a dangerously intimate clinch at the end of their tango in 2021.
When the X-rated routine came to a close, Adam held Katya tightly – and their faces were just inches apart as they stared deeply into each other’s eyes.
Some viewers even thought they heard him tell her “I love you”, whilst other thought he said: “How did I do?”
After the pair performed to the Fleetwood Mac hit Tango In The Night, there was a frenzy of online speculation over whether Adam ‘nearly kissed’ Katya as the music ended.
One wrote: “Did Adam just go to kiss Katya and then remember they’re on TV?!” with another adding: “Did Adam and Katya almost kiss? He absolutely forgot where he was!”
A third then added: “Losing my mind at Adam going in for a kiss and Katya having to remind him they’re on national television #Strictly.”
Their did-they-didn’t they kiss sparked such a furore that Peaty’s girlfriend, Eiri Munro, took a break from social media after the embrace.
‘Strip show’
The BBC was flooded with complaints after Layton Williams‘ eye popping pole dance last year.
The Waterloo Road star and his partner Nikita Kuzmin‘s danced their couple’s choice to Ain’t No Other Man by Christina Aguilera.
It earned them an impressive 39 points from the judges – but some viewers said it was ‘heart attack’ inducing.
After the pair took to the floor in the iconic Blackpool ballroom, viewers shared their opinions.
One wrote: “NIKITA DANCING ON A POLE #Strictly YOU TRYNA GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK #StrictlyComeDancing”
A second said: “I think my heart actually stopped when Nikita started pole dancing #Strictly.”
Another fan said: “Nikita and Layton gyrating around a pole to Christina Aguilera … #Strictly really does keep on giving.”
Even Coronation Street star Sally Ann Matthews heaped praise on the dance.
She wrote: “Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Layton was incredible but Nikita – wow, I just love watching him dance x”
But there were plenty who blasted the steamy routine as “inappropriate”.
One disgruntled fan wrote: “That weird pole dancing, strip show horror does not deserve a place on the Blackpool ballroom floor.”
Former Strictly pro James Jordan also slammed the dance, raging: “Did I think that dance had a place on Strictly? Absolutely not.”
Bobby Dazzler
Last year fans were in a frenzy when EastEnders star Bobby Brazier, 21, appeared to almost lock lips with dancer Dianne Buswell following their steamy tango.
The shock move came soon after openly admitting that he ‘loved’ Dianne, despite the pro dancer being in a relationship with Joe Sugg.
Following the sizzling show, several fans flocked to X, suggesting Dianne had awkwardly “pulled back” from Bobby’s embrace and looked embarrassed.
While some accused Bobby of being “disrespectful” others focused their fury on Dianne, 35, branding their relationship as “uncomfortable” and “inappropriate.”
‘Hot under the collar‘
Head judge Shirley Ballas was feeling the heat on Halloween night in 2022.
She even admitted that she was feeling “hot under the collar” after Molly Rainford, 23, and her dance partner Carlos Gu danced a sultry rendition of the Argentine Tango to Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush.
Shirley admitted: “Well, I’m all hot underneath my collar. There was drama and there was passion and there was everything in between.”
Dressed as a vampire, Molly was overcome with emotion and left unable to talk.
Carlos comforted his dance partner by pulling her into a hug before planting a kiss on her neck.
Former contestant Gemma Atkinson sent a message of support saying: “Be proud @mollyrainford. You smashed that tango!!!!” adding a string of smiling faces.
Fans also hit back at Craig’s low scoring of Molly and Carlos’ routine.
Strictly 2024 pairings
Here's who is matched with who this series...
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
JB Gill and Amy Dowden MBE
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
@RyanGSoapKing11 tweeted: “WOW a 6 from Craig that was very harsh for Molly. #Strictly.”
@LuceValentine1 added: “How can Craig give Molly a SIX when they were giving Tony 8s?? that was a great performance I agree with the other 3 judges. #strictly.”arts.
Revenge routine
Fans were blown away by Helen Skelton’s feisty couple’s choice performance in 2022, which was immediately branded her revenge routine.
Fans hailed the dance as a major “middle finger” to her ex-husband, Richie Myler.
After the former Blue Peter presenter and partner Gorka Marquez performed to the sassy Mein Herr, from the musical Cabaret, the audience leapt to their feet.
Helen had recently announced that just several weeks after the birth of her third child, she had split from husband.
And the rugby player was expecting a baby with Stephanie Thirkill, daughter of Leeds Rhinos president Andrew Thirkill.
Alongside a picture of Princess Diana in her iconic revenge dress, one fan tweeted: “The parallels. Oozing confidence. Completely owning herself. HELEN!”
Another said: “I think the nation just watched Helen Skelton say a huge f*** you to her ex-husband!”
“Helen getting the ultimate revenge on her slimy ex…Well done Helen Skelton for giving your husband the middle finger with that dance on national telly, you go girl!” chimed a third.
Lost for words
In 2021 Kelvin Fletcher stunned fans in the first week by pulling off a hugely sexy samba, with Shirley branding his hop action “electrifying”.
Bruno Tonioli swooned: “This hunk is on fire! Calm down it’s week one.”
Just three weeks later the nation was swooning again over his slow and sensual rumba.
The Emmerdale actor’s performance with Oti Mabuse to Bill Withers Ain’t No Sunshine was deemed so sexy, even the notoriously mouthy judges were lost for words.
Mr. Nasty Craig Revel Horwood stumbled his way through the commentary, although Motsi Mabuse was far more vocal.
“At some points, I was like, ‘Hold on Kelvin, that’s my sister, stop it!’” she said to howls of laughter.
Head judge Shirley Ballas was equally flustered, praising Fletcher, 40, for his “scintillating hip and leg action.
“You just sent my temperature through the roof, I’ve never seen a man rumba like that!” she added, while fanning herself.
Bruno Tonioli was even more enthusiastic than usual, describing the rumba as “dangerous”.
“The four judges are gone,” he said, before pretending to collapse.
Twerking Wonder
Back in 2014, Jake Wood’s sexy snake hips left judge Darcey Bussell flustered.
The EastEnders actor shook his booty during a samba with partner Janette Manrara and it’s safe to say it went down VERY well with Darcey and even co-host Tess Daly.
Darcey, 55, was initially lost for words but eventually managed to formulate some sentences after composing herself.
“You are a box of surprises,” she giggled.
“It’s so strange though, that you can actually pull that off, twerking like that, and the facial expressions.
“There is so much samba going on there, it was brilliant.”
Meanwhile, Bruno Tonioli described Jake as a “twerking wonder”, while Craig Revel Horwood compared his jiggling bottom to a “jackhammer”.
He added: “I’ve got to say the shoulder shimmies were absolutely fantastic and your bottom went off like a jackhammer.”
Earlier, Jake, 52, revealed that he had received some samba tips from the unlikeliest of sources – his EastEnders co-star Danny Dyer.