Flash-dance

Thank Simon Cowell. The high-waisted king of the talent show has ensured that TV networks around the world are clogged with desperate people grasping for their moment in the spotlight. And given the success of these shows, every year brings their "biggest turnout yet" with vast armies of wannabes queueing up for their big moment.

Weirdly, these hopefuls are turning up with ever-increasing entourages, making Mariah Carey look independent and low-maintenance. But once you exclude the minivan full of cheering supporters in home-printed T-shirts, the fact still remains that the actual contestants have to pull something spectacular out of the bag to have any chance of imprinting themselves on the public consciousness.

So fair play to So You Think You Can Dance Contestant #22036, who found a fairly novel way of ensuring her media longevity. The nameless hoofer auditioned for the popular dance contest in Atlanta, and was so excited at the prospect of proceeding to the next round in Las Vegas that she fell to the floor and accidentally showed the world her gratitude.

For whatever reason, she had decided that the best way to showcase her flair was to go commando under her dress - giving viewers a further glimpse at her raw potential. Maybe she was influenced by the Britneys and Lindsays out there, who kicked off a recent craze for showing the paparazzi a different kind of smile.

Whatever her motivation, by leaving her inhibitions (as well as her underwear) at home, No.22036 has ensured that she's on every gossip news site from here to there. Along with the NSFW pictures, many sites are also carrying a great quote from producer and judge Nigel Lythgoe, who told website TMZ "None of us knew she did this. The show was always designed to expose talent, but not in this way."

But the question everyone's asking isn't "What was she thinking?", it's "What were they thinking?" - referring to the editorial team who must have fallen asleep on the job. Given the furore that erupted when Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction' revealed the world's most uncomfortable-looking nipple ring, this could lead to TV network Fox being hit with a hefty fine for indecency. But given how much free publicity this 'accident' has generated overnight, I imagine it'll be worth every penny.

If anyone's wondering whether this outrageous turn of events will inspire similar shock-tactics in other talent shows, I'm sorry to say you've already missed it. Having picked John & Edward for the final six groups on The X-Factor, Louis Walsh has already given plenty exposure to a pair of c...