Layton Williams loves that his Strictly pole dancing routine was 'risky'

Layton Williams has defended his pole dancing on 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

The 29-year-old 'Bad Education' star and his professional dance partner Nikita Kuzmin performed a racy routine to Christina Aguilera's 'Ain't No Other Man' on last week's show for their couple's choice dance, and it didn't go down well with some viewers, but Layton loved that it was "a bit risky" and pushed boundaries.

He told The Mail on Sunday: "I feel like we've always come out and kind of, done something potentially a little bit more out there, pushing the boundaries a little bit, a bit risky, you know, we're thrown in this and that, and there's always an element of surprises.

'Why shouldn't we be swinging around a pole and living our best life? It went down pretty cute if you ask me, so I'm really proud and I stand by it. It was also a couple's choice too."

Choreographer Nikita, 25, added: "We were just swinging round a pole.

"There is nothing more to that than that. We were just dancing. At the end of the day, we're just two boys having fun. And, well, if somebody doesn't like it, then that's absolutely fine."

Layton has also had messages from those who resonate with seeing someone "so outwardly effeminate" dancing on the show with another man.

He said: "I think sometimes because of the conversations, it's like, 'oh, yeah, well' and my hard work is batted away. But I just really am grateful that, I got to have this opportunity in the show, and I've got this guy to dance with.

"We get so many beautiful messages from, teachers, parents, it's really making a change, to see somebody so outwardly effeminate, sometimes not effeminate, sometimes, more masculine and people are seeing that and going, oh, that's a little bit like what I'm like, and it resonates.

"And even, people being like, I love the two boys and kids, young people that don't even understand it but they just love it. It's causing a beautiful ripple effect. So that's my joyous takeaway from this show."