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Benidorm legend Sticky Vicky has sadly died after a long illness and she was famous for pulling objects from her vagina in front of stunned live audiences.
She got naked several times a day for millions of people for over 30 years before her own daughter sensationally took over the mantle.
After retiring, she modestly said that “what I do is simple” – but who was the real Vicky and how did she become so widely known for her completely bonkers act?
READ MORE: 'I went to Benidorm and saw Sticky Vicky with my posh girlfriend – it gave me PTSD'
Early life
She was born back in April 1943 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, and her full name is Victoria Maria Aragues Gadea, although she became more commonly known as Vicky Leyton.
Her military father decided to leave the family when she was just seven before she moved to Barcelona with her mother and sister.
Here, she fell in love with classical ballet. And speaking to El Espanol, she said: “My younger sister was a contortionist and I was a classical ballet dancer.
“One day we put on a show and performed in Barcelona and somewhere else. We weren't great singers either. But we looked like twins and that was good.”
A businessman eventually gave her the stage name Vicky Leyton – and she went on to be the artistic director of a theatre called El Molino where she put on up to four shows a week.
But the Spanish public suddenly demanded sexier performances after the death of dictator Francisco Franco. Explaining what that meant for her, Vicky told the publication: “When Franco died, we artists went under. Nude came and we dancers were left without work. They wanted girls who would do porn and who would interact with clients. That world was not for me."
Becoming Sticky Vicky
But a pal then suggested she create a magic show by removing bizarre objects from her private parts – and incredibly it worked for decades to come.
It started out in nightclubs in Barcelona but she also travelled to Uruguay, Italy and Portugal with it. Remembering, she said: “It was a great success. They were all shocked when I started to take out a little flag. In Barcelona they had seen a lot of porn but they weren’t used to seeing something like that.”
Vicky went on to have a son and a daughter from two different men – and despite remaining single, she never lacked potential suitors looking to date her.
She took her unique show to Benidorm in the 1980s where she found a home at the Costa Blanca resort, nicknamed Little England because of the thousands of Brits who holiday there.
Eggs, banners, handkerchiefs, razor blades and food were just some of the objects Vicky plucked out of her vagina during her relentless live shows.
And she even took her daughter, Maria Gadea, to see her on stage when she was just 14 years old. Speaking exclusively to Daily Star last year, Maria remembered: “I liked the show and I had no idea I could do something like that. I remember she was super shy and worried about what I would think.
“I told her that I loved seeing her and I liked her show. It never turned out for me to see her do a daring routine, my mind was already open and very mature. I could process what I saw in addition to having my own opinion.”
Maria said other parents spoke about her mother before kids came to school to express what they had overheard. But, despite being made fun of, she was always proud of her mum.
Legacy
Vicky was forced to retire in 2016 after having hip surgery and being diagnosed with uterine cancer. And speaking to El Espanol about death, she told the publication: “We were born and we have to die. But I don't want to die.”
Rather than the show ceasing to exist, her daughter Maria continued the X-rated act herself.
And telling Daily Star why, she said: “I decided to do her show when everyone wanted to take advantage of her name and lie to the public about who her daughter was. My intention was to ally myself with my mother to be stronger, and shut up the liars.”
And as for whether she feared not living up to her mum’s expectations, she added: “I have never been afraid. I am hardworking and constant, whoever cannot appreciate my art I feel sorry for them. We cannot please everyone.”
We also spoke to Wrexham lad Owain Laing who has been going to Benidorm religiously ever since he was a baby. But despite being a regular, it was only earlier this year when he finally went to see the Sticky Vicky show, performed by daughter Maria.
He took along his posh girlfriend who had no idea what to expect. And laughing to us, he said:” My girlfriend is quite posh and we have been to the Maldives and stuff and I was like ‘let’s go Benidorm’ and she was like ‘eh OK’.
“She said she wanted the full Benidorm experience and I asked whether she was sure…. So I brought her to a pub where Sticky Vicky was on and we sat there like ‘holy s**t, what the f*** is this’?
“It’s an eye opener and a life changing experience that everyone doesn’t need to see. Everyone needs to see it but they don’t need to see it at the same time.
"The capacity was probably a hundred and it was rammed from little chavvy kids to old posh people with yachts, everyone was there.
“You just look round at people’s faces and everyone has a cartoon face like all mouth and jaw and they are thinking ‘what is this’… But you know what you are getting yourself in for and you know what it is all about and you have to see it with your own eyes.”
Death
It was Maria herself who announced her mum’s sad death at the age of 80. And writing on Facebook, she said: "I regret these words, my mother Sticky Vicky passed away today at 6 in the morning, I can't believe it.
"She has gone, surrounded by her family, with all of our love. I thank God for being able to always be by her side, I am left with a broken heart."
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