PALS of Strictly love cheat Katya Jones have begged her: “Don’t do it again.”
The Russian dancer and Olympic hero Adam Peaty sparked a frenzy of speculation after they appeared close to kissing at the end of Saturday’s tango.
Friends fear a repeat of the 2018 fallout when she was caught snogging show partner Seann Walsh.
Katya was told by a pal backstage after the tango: “Don’t let yourself down by getting too close to a partner again. Please don’t put yourself in this position.”
Katya and Olympic swimming hero Adam appeared close to kissing at the end of their performance in Saturday’s prime-time BBC show.
The sexy dancefloor scene shocked friends into telling Katya, 32, not to risk a romantic disaster with Adam.
Sources said she was warned not to jeopardise ruining her current Strictly partnership three years after her smooch with Seann.
The Sun understands other professional dancers were present when Katya was given the advice following the live performance.
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Now single, Katya has spent the past three years trying to shake off the image which was created when she was photographed with comedian Seann, 35.
She was still married to fellow pro Neil Jones, 39, at the time. Seann was in a relationship with actress Rebecca Humphries, 34, which ended after their clinch went public.
Katya split from Neil six months later.
A Strictly insider last night said: “No one on the show wants Katya to be in the middle of another ‘Curse of Strictly’ controversy.
“While dancing naturally involves pros and celebrities getting very close, the performance with Adam was particularly passionate.
“Nobody has suggested either Adam or Katya have done anything wrong but her mates don’t want her to create the impression she is somehow leading him astray.
“The emerging controversy has become the talk of the pros on the show.”
No one on the show wants Katya to be in the middle of another ‘Curse of Strictly’ controversy.
Strictly insider
For weeks, Strictly viewers have been getting hot under the collar as Adam showed off his amazing physique next to Katya.
One Twitter user said: “I am a big fan of Adam, and as a far more experienced man, I say kindly to him, choose your family or Katya Jones.”
The multiple gold-medal swimmer has a one-year-old son, George-Anderson, with partner Eiri Munro. She fell pregnant two months after they went on a Tinder date two years ago.
But Welsh artist Eiri, 23, has appeared so far to play it cool in her public support for Adam.
Other competitors, such as Greg Wise, has had his Oscar-winning wife Dame Emma Thompson watching from the wings and Gordon Ramsay dropped in to see daughter Tilly dance.
Eiri’s only supportive message on Instagram came last Saturday — three weeks into the competition – and it didn’t reference Katya.
She told her followers: “Adam sent me a photo of himself in costume for tonight. Let me tell ya right now, you are not reaaaddyyy!!!!! Proud of ya baby.”
The solitary message is in stark contrast to the long line of supportive words she posted online when Adam was competing at the Tokyo Games this summer, bringing home two golds and a silver.
To everyone who wants to see what they want, your comments have real-life consequences
Adam Peaty
Before Saturday’s show, she posted a sexy image of herself in a red and white striped crop-top, black high-waisted leggings with the cryptic message: “Not worried.”
That left many fans wondering what she was unconcerned about.
After Saturday’s dance, Eiri posted a TikTok message where she pretended to cry, with the message: “Watching your boyfriend almost kiss another woman on live TV, finding out ten million people also watched it.”
Adam has previously said in an interview how he can understand why the Strictly curse affects couples on the show.
He said: “My hips are here, hers are here, and then we do this. You get close. I can see how it happens.”
But on Sunday he posted: “To everyone who wants to see what they want, your comments have real-life consequences. I will not be overcome or lowered by your gossip. Protect your energy.”
After wearing several figure- hugging outfits that left little to the imagination, Adam went topless last week for an Avatar-themed rhumba for movie week.
I will not be overcome or lowered by your gossip. Protect your energy.
Adam Peaty
It saw him receive a flood of saucy messages on social media.
Eiri responded online by sharing an image of Adam in his swimming trunks, and wrote: “Everyone thirsting over my man cause he’s so hot, he’s my man.”
Latest strictly come dancing
Katya and Adam have had a rollercoaster ride of Strictly highs and lows, starting the contest in the top two on the scoreboard, then finding themselves in the bottom two for a fortnight.
But their sensational tango on Saturday propelled them back up the board, finishing joint second.
Yesterday dancer Gorka Marquez, 31, defended Adam and Katya. Gorka went on to have a child with actress and fellow Strictly competitor Gemma Atkinson, 36.
He said: “I think it was just the end of the routine. They were into the moment. The Argentine tango is very passionate.”
