Two To Tango! Sam & Aaron's Next Move

The truth behind their close bond!

- Sebastian Van Der Zwan

They dominated the dance floor with jaw-dropping lifts and fancy footwork, and their social media campaign was second to none. But it was perhaps the sizzling chemistry between Samantha Hayes and Aaron Gilmore that clinched them the coveted Dancing with the Stars NZ glitterball trophy.

“I want to write fan fiction about Sam and Aaron,” wrote one Twitter commentator, while another added that she expected to see the dancing duo confess to a real-life romance in the pages of Woman’s Day.

Well, we’re sorry to disappoint, but Sam tells us, “This isn’t a love story. People will always speculate, but we’re just good friends and we enjoyed dancing together, and the judges did tell me I needed to dial up the emotions, so that was where that chemistry came from.”

Grinning, Aaron – dad to Ethan, 15, and Grace, 13, with ex-wife Jaimee – adds, “I’m proud that I made Sam feel safe and respected enough to get that out of her. I mean, we did spend 14 weeks together solidly.”

“That was the best and the worst thing about this whole experience,” laughs Sam.