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Strictly fans overcome with emotion as Leeds' Nicola Adams performs in first same sex partnership

Strictly Come Dancing fans were left emotional and in tears after our very own Nicola Adams performed in the show's very first same sex partnership.

Over the 16 years that the BBC One series has run for, there has never been a male celebrity paired with a male professional or a female celebrity with a female pro.

The Leeds Olympic champion boxer performed an impressive Quickstep to Get Happy by Ella Fitzgerald this evening with partner Katya.

Last year, the show broke boundaries by introducing the first all-male pairing in a professional dance, which had been branded "stunningly beautiful" by viewers, reports The Mirror.

This year, the same sex pairing is already proving emotional and popular with viewers and the judges.

After the performance, the judges lavished them with praise, with Shirley Ballas hailing Katya a "genius".

"This is a partnership I'm really going to enjoy watching," Shirley told them. "Well done!"

Nicola was also happy with her performance and shouted out in excitement: "I'm a dancer baby!"

Nicola Adams (right) and Katya Jones during the dress rehearsal for Saturday's programme in the BBC1 dancing contest, Strictly Come Dancing (Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)

Nicola previously explained why she was keen to be coupled with another woman on the show.

Speaking to Mirror TV and other news outlets, she said: "I'm very committed to [wearing trousers] this season. I'll be in trousers - different types, so they'll be short, full length. But I like to keep surprises though."

Nicola, who retired from boxing last November after doctors' health warnings, believes that taking part in the show will be a "huge challenge" for her.

Questioned about the reason why she had asked for a female partner, Nicola explained: "Just for diversity, I guess, and I wanted to do something different and I didn't see what the big deal would be with pairing another female.

"I mean we go to nightclubs and dance with other girls all the time and professional dancers dance with other girls all the time so I don't think it's a big deal!"

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