WATCH: Strictly Come Dancing’s first same-sex dance
Strictly Come Dancing has featured same-sex couples dancing together for the first time.
The BBC reality show – currently in its 12th series – had hinted earlier this week that it would feature same-sex pairings during this weekend’s results show, for a ‘Cops and Robbers’ professionals routine.
The performance, which was unveiled on Sunday night, featured a number of the show’s professional dancers ‘in hold’ with members of the same sex for the first time ever.
The segment was only on-screen briefly (from 1:30 in the clip), but showed both male couples – dressed as policemen – and female couples – dressed as robbers – dancing together.
Out dancer Robin Windsor was forced to sit out of this year’s show due to a back injury, but has returned for the routine, where he danced with Aljaž Skorjanec.
The show has never featured a same-sex dance couple in its mainstream competition line-up, despite growing calls to do so from the dance community.
Heather Gladding of the UK Same-Sex Dance Council was not impressed, and told PinkNews: “Of course the BBC were not really going to have a same sex couple on Strictly.
“Israel and Austria have been the only countries brave enough to partner a celebrity with a professional of their choice. Two women in Israel and two men in Austria.
“The UK has one of the longest established same sex dance councils and has a large number of couples who regularly attend competitions, both same sex and now main stream.”
Windsor said this summer, of calls for a same-sex dance partnership: “I’m not sure if the British public are ready for it on the main show.
“But I think it would be a good idea to do it on a Children In Need special or the Christmas show.
“It would be a good way to test the waters. Then, if the public love it, why not go all out and do it for a full series? I’m up for anything.”
Professional dancer Ola Jordan said: “Let’s try it. Why not?
“I don’t know if the audience is ready. But unless you try you won’t know.
“I think there will be pressure from fans for Strictly to do it. So if it’s not this year, hopefully it’ll happen next year.
“I’ve never danced with a woman so I don’t know how that would be. But I’d give it a go. Women move in a different way to men, so it would be a new challenge to think about.”
Watch a clip from Sky’s short-lived series Got To Dance below:
