Way before reality shows like The Bachelor or Married At First Sight hit Australian TV screens, we had good old Dancing With The Stars.
The show, which began in 2004 on Channel Seven and aired until 2015, became a rite of passage for young up-and-coming Aussie celebrities to strut their stuff and boost their media profiles.
Some of our most-loved celebs participated in the show before Seven announced in 2016 that they would not renew the program.
Now Dancing With The Stars is about to kick off its 17th season in Australia with a brand new, all-star cast on February 9.
So in celebration of the new season, let’s take a trip down memory lane to look at all of the past winners – and their terrible early noughties outfits – from DWTS.
2004: Bec Cartwright & Michael Miziner
Bec Cartwright and Michael Miziner at a party in 2004. (Image: Getty)
Back when Bec Hewitt was Bec Cartwright, the former Home & Away star shimmied her way through to the end of the competition and took out the main gong.
This was just about year before she tied the knot with her then-boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt, which whom she now has three children.
Fun fact: Bec’s dancing partner Michael Miziner is now married to model and Myer ambassador Rachael Finch, who he met on Dancing With The Stars in 2010 and married in 2013. Cute!
WATCH BELOW: Bec Cartwright strips down to bikini on Dancing With The Stars
2005: Tom Williams & Kym Johnson
Tom Williams at the 2005 Logies. (Image: Getty)
Tom loved to take his shirt off on the show and show off his sexy abs. (Image: Channel Seven)
Long before Channel Seven personality Tom Williams hosted its afternoon news program The Daily Edition, he was swanning around with his shirt off on Dancing With The Stars.
Williams and his beautiful blonde dance partner Kym set our TV screens on fire with their barely-there costumes and sexy routines.
Tom became a big fan of dancing without his shirt – and with abs like that, why wouldn’t you?
2005, Round 2: Ada Nicodemou & Aric Yegudkin
Ada Nicodemou at a media event in 2005. (mage: Getty)
First of all, can we talk about how Ada Nicodemou literally has not aged in almost 15 years? Her skin is flawless!
The former Home & Away star was voted the best on ground by the judges throughout her season.
WATCH BELOW: Ada Nicodemou dances to Christina Aguilera’s Come On Over Baby on DWTS
2006: Grant Denyer & Amanda Garner
Grant Denyer at the 2006 Logie Awards. (Image: Getty)
Grant Denyer is hosting the new season of DWTS in 2020, but he was actually a contestant back in the day!
The grand finale came down to the wire, between Denyer and boxer Kostya Tszyu, but the former Family Feud host was able to bring home the trophy after 10 weeks of intense training.
WATCH BELOW: Grant Denyer struts his stuff on the 2006 season of Dancing With The Stars
2006, Round 2: Anthony Koutoufides & Natalie Lowe
Anthony and Natalie pictured in 2006. (Image: Getty)
Former AFL footballer Anthony Koutoufides took his talent from the field to the dancefloor, proving he had more to offer than just an ability to kick a ball through two posts.
The sports star was crowned king of the d-floor in 2006.
2007: Kate Ceberano & John-Paul Collins
The Bedroom Eyes singer with her hunker dance partner John. (Image: Getty)
The popular Aussie singer managed to nab the title from the fan favourite at the time, radio and TV host Fifi Box.
“What an incredible journey this has been,” Kate said after being crowned the winner.
2007, Round 2: Bridie Carter & Craig Monley
Um, who doesn’t love Bridie Carter?! Bring back McLeod’s Daughters! (Image: Channel Seven)
Aussie actress Bridie Carter is best known for playing Tess Silverman McLeod on the classic TV drama McLeod’s Daughters.
The Channel Seven star cruised to the end of the competition and took home the trophy alongside her hunky blonde partner Craig.
We couldn’t mind spending 10 weeks of dance training with him!
2008: Luke Jacobz & Luda Kroitor
Love with when DWTS couples get together IRL. (Image: Channel Seven)
The former Home & Away and McLeod’s Daughters actor was lucky to be paired with Luda, who is a former five time world salsa champion.
The duo salsa-ed their way to the top – and even started a little romance.
They dated from 2008 until 2010, and now Luda is married to a new partner, Matt Wilson.
When asked in 2012 about the engagement by the Daily Telegraph Luke said: “I’m tickled pink, I’m over the moon. Luda has wanted to get married and have a family of her own for as long as I’ve known her.
“We’re very, very happy for her – happy for them both,” he said.
2009: Adam Brand & Jade Hatcher
Such a shame these guys are no longer together. (Image: Getty)
They’re not exactly A-listers, but country music singer Adam Brand and his dancing partner Jade Hatcher fell in love while competing together on the show.
At the time, Jade was 19, and 20 years his junior.
“The way I can describe it, is we relied on each other and became real friends,” Adam told The Daily Telegraph.
“We just fell in love, we fell madly, head over heels in love.”
The couple married and moved to Nashville in 2010, but their relationship later broke down and they divorced.
“It was all too much. Too big. Too much. Too many things changing, too many things different. If I could do things differently, I wouldn’t expect so much from someone,” Adam said.
2010: Rob Palmer & Alana Patience
Rob’s out of his gardening greens and looking mighty fine. (Image: Channel Seven)
He’s became famous as the strapping young builder on Better Homes and Gardens, and treated viewers to more of his hunky moves during the 2010 season.
Ballroom dancer Alana helped finesse Rob’s two left feet and took the pair to the grand finale, where they managed to take home the disco ball trophy.
2011: Manu Feildel & Alana Patience
Manu with MasterChef judge Gary Mehigan in 2011. (Image: Getty)
While Manu managed to win the 2011 season, his time on the show wasn’t without controversy.
At one point, the TV chef was asked by DWTS host Daniel McPherson if he was frustrated having his dance partner Alana pop into his restaurant to teach him some last-minute dance moves.
Manu replied: “The problem was that the staff around me, I usually tell them what to do. Suddenly a woman was telling me what to do in front of everyone.”
His comments were met by boos from the crowd, with a visibly panicked Feildel unaware his comment could be seen as sexist.
Co-host Sonya Kruger later added fuel to the fire, when she read out the couple’s scores backstage.
“It’s brilliant. But what would I know? I’m a woman,” Kruger joked.
Awkward!!!
WATCH BELOW: Manu Feildel on Dancing With The Stars
2012: Johnny Ruffo & Luda Kroitor
Johnny is lucky he had champion dancer Luda by his side. (Image: Channel Seven)
The X Factor finalist managed to nab a perfect score of 30 with his final dance partner Luda Kroitor, who also helped Luke Jacobs win in 2008.
Johnny managed to dance his way into a chiselled physique over the show, even inciting a thirsty reaction from judge Helen Richey.
And after Ruffo ripped his shirt off during the finale performance, Helen quipped: “You should have taken your top off earlier darling.”
Hilarious!
2013: Cosentino & Jessica Raffa
Who knew the guy with the weird piercings could rock it on the DF? (Image: Channel Seven)
Paul Cosentino, known by his stage name Cosentino, is an Australian illusionist and escapologist.
He was the underdog in his season of DWTS, but managed to prove the naysayers wrong and dance his way to the top.
“The Australian people want to get behind the underdog,” he told APN at the time.
“I was judged very harshly. If you look back on the scoring and look back on social media people were saying ‘Why was he getting those scores?’ But it’s a TV show, and of course there’s favourites.”
“But at the end of the day we held up.”
Love it when the underdog pulls through!
2014: David Rodan & Melanie Hooper
David Rodan proving he’s more than just food at footy. (Image: Channel Seven)
Retired AFL player David Rodan embraced his inner dancer and shook his hips to Latin beats, taking out the top spot with partner Melanie Hooper.
Semi-finalist Tai Hara predicted Rodan’s win, telling APN he was the most consistent dancer throughout the series.
“He’s by far the best in terms of the entire series,” Hara said. “Anything he’s been given he’s absolutely smashed it.”
2015: Emma Freedman & Aric Yegudkin
The former Grill Team host killed it during her season. (Image: Channel Seven)
Emma Freedman absolutely slayed it on her season of DWTS. The radio and TV host is the highest scoring celebrity across all 15 seasons, with an average score of 27.8.
She was also the first female celebrity to win the competition since 2007.
“You are the best contestant we’ve ever had, without a doubt, on this show,” judge Todd McKennney told Emma during her grand finale performance.
“We’ve seen more than 100 competitors come through.”
Emma, who famously got super fit and toned while training on the show, said she was thrilled to be a part of it.
“This has been the most incredible experience,” Emma said at the time.
“I’m so glad I’ve done it, I’ve had the best time,” she said.
2019: Samuel Johnson and Jorja Freeman
Samuel Johnson was crowned the winner of Dancing With The Stars in 2019.
The 41-year-old actor took out the DWTS title and the glittering disco ball trophy in the grand finale, with the $50,000 prize-money going towards his charity Love Your Sister, which he began with his late sister Connie Johnson in 2012.
Samuel, who competed with dance partner Jorja Freeman, told TV WEEK that his sister would be “beyond proud” of him for his time on the show.
“I’ve always been a big worry for her,” the actor explains. “I’ve always been such a f—up. But I honestly think she’d look at me now and say, ‘I’m not worried about you anymore.’ It’s pretty cool.”
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