No raunch allowed: Strictly Come Dancing stars told to tone down pre-watershed dance routines

By Georgina Littlejohn

Last updated at 3:23 PM on 3rd October 2011


It's known for its skimpy outfits that leave little to the imagination and raunchy moves that sizzle on the dancefloor.

But this year, bosses have asked the dancers to tone down their dirty dancing for the pre-watershed show.

According to reports today, BBC executives were unhappy about the dance routine that One Show presenter Alex Jones had planned to perform with her professional partner James Jordan last Saturday.

Toning it down: Alex Jones and her partner James Jordan were asked by BBC bosses to cut out the raunch from the their pre-watershed Strictly Come Dancing routune

A story in the Sun said Jason Donovan and his partner Kristina Rihanoff were also told to tone it down and Audley Harrison's wife Raychel had to intervene to get her husband's routine with his partner Natalie Lowe cut down.

According to an insider, she put the brakes on some of his moves after reminding him that he is a family man with a reputation to uphold.
The source told the paper: 'Raychel was worried about some of the moves planned and told him so. Natalie didn't mind toning it down at all.

But in regard to the executives at Television Centre getting involved, the insider added: 'Bosses felt things had gone too far this year and stepped in before the show aired to get some of the moves clipped.

'They were concerned viewers might be shocked at some of the more sexy moves planned for the first two live shows.'

The source said the Friday night show was ok to broadcast the raunchier routines because it aired after the 9pm watershed.

No wiggling allowed: Kristina Rihanoff had planned some sexy gyrations during her routine with Jason Donovan- but they were cut from the final dance

But they added: 'But Saturday's went out at 6pm when a lot more families were watching. Going forward, that will be the time it normally airs, so you have to be careful about these things.'

Alex, who was wearing a very skimpy outfit, was seen on Saturday dancing the cha-cha-cha with James to a routine they had to tone down after bosses saw their rehearsal footage.

Kristina was also planning some show-stopping moves for her cha-cha-cha with Jason Donovan, but she was reportedly taken to one side by producers before going to air.

The source added: 'Kristina wanted to pull out all the stops with some sexy gyrations. But after producers had a word she decided to wait until later in the competition to get away with something raunchier.'

But despite their toned down act, the pair still impressed the judges and topped the leader board with a score of 32.

Family man: Audley Harrison's wife asked him and his partner Natalie Lowe - which they were more than happy to do

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2044715/Strictly-Come-Dancing-2011-contestants-told-tone-pre-watershed-routines.html#ixzz1ZjYJruvq