Ekin-Su’s Sheer Tribute To Britney Spears Has Caused Major Complaints

Ekin-Su paid tribute to Britney Spears in her Dancing On Ice debut, but some viewers weren’t impressed by her homage to the pop star’s iconic music video for “Toxic.” The Love Island star performed her first routine on the figure-skating show with partner Brendyn Hatfield, dancing to the singer’s 2003 single. The judges were keen on certain aspects of the performance. “Hot, hot, hot — from the outfit to the makeup,” said Strictly Come Dancing alum and skating judge Oti Mabuse. However, overall, the panel awarded Ekin-Su a score of 21.5 out of 40, leaving her to compete in the upcoming skate-off.

Following the performance, meanwhile, the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has, to date, received 112 complaints about Ekin-Su’s outfit. Though some viewers on social media labelled the outfit “inappropriate” and “unsuitable for a family show,” scores of fans also defended her against the criticism, pointing out that her costume is an accurate recreation of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” wardrobe, and will have been approved by the show’s production team ahead of time. “Loads of people criticising Ekin-Su’s outfit and performance for being somehow inappropriate. FFS. Nothing inappropriate about either. She’s a queen,” one supporter tweeted.

While Bustle has reached out to Ekin-Su’s camp for comment on the fallout over her outfit, the Love Island star appeared to hint at the situation in a slightly cryptic pair of tweets following the show airing on Jan. 15. “Don’t ever compare yourself to others. You are not a copy, you are an original. Craft your own individuality and sense of style! And just be yourself,” she posted. “Don’t study me. You won’t graduate,” she added in a second post. Right on!