IT MAY have only just started but Southampton's Strictly star has already made quite the impression.

Olympic athlete Iwan Thomas, who lives in Netley, burst onto the launch show of BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing promising tighter outfits and lots of sparkle.

Then within seconds of finding out his professional dance partner was Ola Jordan, he twirled her around, picked her up and flung her across his back causing an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction for the petite Polish-born dancer.

But it seems Ola, who is married to former Strictly dancer James Jordan and has only just recently recovered from a serious leg injury she suffered last December, has taken it all in good humour.

After the show she tweeted: "Brilliant! In this one second he ripped my skirt, broke my nail and my boobs popped out! This is going to be a great series."

Iwan told presenter Tess Daly that he will be a bit of a "slow burner" and hopes to emulate the success of former Strictly winner, cricketer Darren Gough.

He added: "I think I am the only person in the history of Strictly who has gone to the wardrobe and said 'make it tighter'. The tighter the better."

Now all the couples have been paired up, they will spend the next three weeks training, ready to perform their first routines at the end of the month.