IF the fevered imagination of our celebrity-fixated tabloid press is to be believed, dancer Kevin Clifton’s sex life would render him barely capable of executing a gentle waltz.

Indeed only this week they claimed that Strictly bosses are lining him up with a ‘no nonsense battle-axe” in the next series for fear that he’ll be irresistibly drawn to his celebrity partner.

Not that Kevin cares. From the stage of Poole’s Lighthouse last night he dismissed most of the press speculation as “nonsense” and even though he went on to claim that several close friends had been “offered tens of thousands of pounds to say negative things about me”, he shrugged the media intrusion off.

His revelations came towards the end of a dynamic show which featured a surprising amount of talking alongside a spectacular high-energy feast of dance. Combining amazing choreography and routines that encompass the essence of classic dances like cha cha, samba, jive and paso doble, Burn the Floor is the show that Kevin credits with saving his dance career.

When he joined the company a decade ago he was fed up with the competitive ballroom world. With its rebellious energy, it revitalised his love for dance. The rest is history. He acknowledges that without Burn the Floor he would never have joined Strictly.

Starring in this show alongside two other Strictly pros - Graziano Di Prima and Johannes Radebe - Kevin and the company almost literally burned the floor such was the intensity of their dancing.

The energy was extraordinary, the costumes were striking and, with music performed by a four piece band plus three live singers, there was something for everyone. The dances featured incredibly inventive choreography to music from that ranged from James Brown and Prince to Led Zeppelin, Robbie Williams and even Leonard Cohen.

It ended with a barnstorming version of With a Little Help From My Friends - the Joe Cocker arrangement rather than The Beatles - before segueing into a hyper-boisterous reading of The Sweet’s Ballroom Blitz. What a night!

There was even a public declaration of love from Graziano to his new fiancee, fellow Burn the Floor dancer Giada Lini

Oh and just in case you’re wondering, Kevin did mention his own special friend, Stacey Dooley, but only to thank her for helping him become the reigning Strictly champion.