The Christina Aguilera & Rihanna Performances That Sent Brits Into A Tizzy

Both the U.K.’s TV regulatory body and the network ITV1 have recieved more than 1,000 complaints about Rihanna and Christina Aguilera’s performances on Saturday’s X Factor finale. Inside, see the female gyrating that has the Brits up in arms.

Warning: This clip of “Express” features Xtina shaking her butt in a short black dress and some garter-wearing backup dancers:

Here Rihanna engages in some slow-motion grinding while wearing a high-waisted bikini:

A spokesman for the network responded, “We are confident that the performances given by our guest artists on Saturday were appropriate for the show,” and a rep for the regulator Ofcom says the show is not currently under investigation.

The finale aired from 7 pm to 9 pm, which is a little early to break out the lingerie. Still, neither performance seems so outrageous that it warrants going through all the effort of filing a complaint against the network. Perhaps parents tuning in to X Factor were expecting more G-rated fare, but in America, most kids have already been thoroughly traumatized by leering Victoria’s Secret commercials that air at all hours.

Of course, when kids are watching, fewer close-ups of dancer’s asses would be greatly appreciated. However, Rihanna and Christina Aguilera didn’t do anything out of the (admittedly over-sexualized) norm. It’s kind of nice to see British parents protesting the trend, but we Americans prefer to save our righteous indignation for when a supposedly-virginal pop princess shimmies on an ice cream truck pole.