Strictly star Kai Widdrington addresses rumours of romance with contestant AJ Odudu

‘If people react like this it means we’re doing something right,’ dancer said

Strictly Come Dancing star Kai Widdrington has addressed rumours of a backstage romance with contestant AJ Odudu.

The pair fuelled speculation of a possible romance following their latest performance on Saturday (23 October).

On companion show It Takes Two on Tuesday (26 October), host Rylan Clark told them: “The passion during this routine set the rumour mill going. Can we settle a few scores here, please? I have known AJ for many years, I know she can’t lie to me.”

Widdrington responded: “If people react like this it means we’re doing something right, because that’s the way the dance should be danced.

“It’s was a very passionate song, a real fiery piece and very intimate.”

He continued: “And that is the characterisation of Argentine tango. So if people want to think that, then great... but we were just doing our job and [AJ] did a great job.”

AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (BBC iPlayer)

Earlier in this series, viewers believed that Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty “almost kissed” his professional partner Katya Jones during a performance he called “intense”.

The duo performed an Argentine tango for the fourth week of this year’s series and, at the end of the routine, the Olympic athlete appeared to momentarily move his face towards Jones.

This led some to claim it looked as though he intended to kiss her, an idea that gained such momentum on social media that Peaty’s girlfriend, Eiri Munro, shared her own comedic response on TikTok.