Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas was left blushing on Saturday night after Harry Aikines-Aryeetey turned up the heat with a sizzling shirtless salsa.
The Gladiators star, 37, who is competing in this year’s glitzy ballroom series with professional partner Karen Hauer, 43, wowed the audience with a routine inspired by Mufasa from The Lion King.
Their performance earned an impressive 32 points from the judges and a flurry of praise from Shirley, 65, who couldn’t help but swoon over Harry’s muscular physique, calling him ‘extraordinary in every department’.
She gushed: ‘You are the man with the million-dollar smile, for sure. You got hold of Karen and you chucked her so fast over, it’s a good job she can control it.
‘I mean, you just picked her up like it was just you know, a piece of ribbon or something.
‘It was extraordinary, it was fantastic. Your leading skills, now you’re starting to learn how to lead Karen, that was great.
Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas was left blushing on Saturday night after Harry Aikines-Aryeetey turned up the heat with a sizzling shirtless salsa
The former Commonwealth sprinter, 37, who is competing in this year’s glitzy ballroom series with professional partner Karen Hauer, 43, wowed the audience with a routine inspired by Mufasa from The Lion King
Shirley then shimmied her shoulders as she added: ‘Your solo parts are down and groovy, and rock and roll and that little shake on the pecs when it went forward like that.
Emphasising her eyes, she went on: ‘Well, he decided not to wear the shirt, and I mean the pecks were going.
‘I mean to say you’re just going from strength to strength, but you are quite extraordinary in every department.
As the audience and fellow judges hollered with laughter and cheers, she exclaimed: ‘Oh, I’m blushing.’
It comes weeks after Harry became emotional after his first live performance with pro partner Karen.
The Gladiator star stunned during the first live show of the season as he danced the Cha-Cha to Salt-N-Pepa’s Push It.
But when he joined host Tess Daly to get feedback from the judges, Harry was overwhelmed with emotion after he confessed he thought he ‘didn’t know if he would be able to walk again’.
Noticing his teary state, Tess asked, ‘Are you alright, talk to me.’ As he struggled for words, Tess continued: ‘What’s wrong?’
Their performance earned an impressive 32 points from the judges and a flurry of praise from Shirley, 65, who couldn’t help but swoon over Harry’s muscly physique, calling him ‘extraordinary in every department’
She gushed: ‘You are the man with the million-dollar smile, for sure. You got hold of Karen and you chucked her so fast over, it’s a good job she can control it’
She continued: ‘I mean, you just picked her up like it was just you know, a piece of ribbon or something. It was extraordinary, it was fantastic’
Shirley then shimmied her shoulders as she added: ‘Your solo parts are down and groovy, and rock and roll and that little shake on the pecks when it went forward like that’
Emphasising her eyes, she went on: ‘Well, he decided not to wear the shirt, and I mean the pecks were going. I mean to say you’re just going from strength to strength, but you are quite extraordinary in every department’
As the audience and fellow judges hollered with laughter and cheers, she exclaimed: ‘Oh, I’m blushing’
To which Harry explained: ‘It’s just, this time last year I wasn’t able to do anything like that and I never thought I’d be myself again.
‘It just feels so nice to be myself again. I had an injury and I didn’t know if I’d be able to walk, run, and I just feel emotional.
‘I’ve dreamt of that moment, and even though I did Christmas, I wasn’t 100% and I’m here, I’m 100% so I’m thankful.’
Tess comforted him: ‘Well, you should be so proud of yourself, right now we are so proud of you.
‘You owned that out there, and thank you so much for a little bit of Salt N Pepa from Dave Arch, his brilliant band and fantastic live singers.’
But as she turned to Craig Revel Horwood, Tess said: ‘Harry, we love you to bits but brace yourself because we are going to Craig now.’
It comes weeks after Harry became emotional after his first live performance with pro partner Karen (pictured)
When he joined host Tess Daly to get feedback from the judges, Harry was overwhelmed with emotion after he confessed he thought he ‘didn’t know if he would be able to walk again’
