Five women in hot water after pole dancing stunt at Greek palace goes viral

News.com.au

31-05-2025

Five women who staged a semi-nude photo shoot on a pole outside a 'cultural landscape' at 1.30am while on holiday in Greece have faced court.
British dancers Imogen Gunter-Zak, 30, Sharon Randell, 57, Alisha Haddrell, 32, Katie Clark, 40, and a German woman were allegedly filmed swinging around the white post at Corfu's Old Palace, a 200-year-old former royal residence and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Footage of the troupe, who were reportedly visiting the Greek Island for a two-week study abroad program with their pole dancing school, showed two members of the group in sexy red lingerie posing for photos as the others cheered them on, The Sun reports.
However, the pole dancers were later arrested after the video of the photo shoot went viral, with the women accused of violating archaeological law and degrading the surrounding area, with Corfu's Ministry of Culture referring to it as an 'illegal act'.
Two of the five dancers were handed six-month suspended sentences and ordered to pay €200 in court fees, according to local outlet ekathimerini.com.
The remaining three dancers were acquitted.
Outside court, the acquitted dancers apologised, insisting they 'meant no disrespect to the monument' and 'never intended to cause offence'.
But the ordeal has been slammed by Steve Gunter-Zak, the father of the youngest woman involved, who claimed the women were treated like 'scrubbers' and locked away with hardened criminals
'They had no idea it was wrong to be performing where they were,' he told The Sun.
'I believe this has been driven by politics. Someone in authority has got it in for them.
'But these women are not scrubbers. They're not tarts and their dancing is not sexual. It's performance art.'
His daughter Imogen and Sharon were named by the publication as the two that have been hit with the six-month suspended jail terms.
They were convicted of 'degrading the cultural landscape' at the Old Palace of St Michael and St George.
Both have appealed with their lawyer Makis Grammenos confident of success.
'They didn't need to spend three nights in cells. They were anxious, sleep-deprived and had no food,' he said.
Retired lecturer Steve said Imogen and Alisha – her pal and business partner – hired a local photographer to shoot video and stills of their trip.
'He chose where they would perform. He assured them this site was okay and they trusted him,' the dad claimed.
'They did it late at night to cause as little disturbance and nuisance to locals.
'But it attracted quite a few people and some were videoing on phones. One put it online and it went viral.
'A few days later it became clear the girls were in trouble so they went to a police station to tell them what they'd been doing.
'But as soon as they got there they were charged.'
Steve also claimed that despite Imogen being convicted she was never even dancing.
Thanos Giannakouris said: 'They didn't leave a scratch on the monument.
'It's totally overblown. These were young girls having a bit of fun.'
The three women who were acquitted have since apologised on camera.
The footage, which was reportedly filmed during the early hours of May 23, 2025, shows a photo shoot taking place after a pole was erected beneath the grand arch of the historic structure.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site seen in the footage first opened in 1824 and is a renowned example of Regency architecture.
Despite suffering damage during the war, it has since been restored and adapted to house the Museum of Asian Art of Corfu — a unique institution in Greece, featuring rare and extensive collections from China, Japan, India, and other parts of Asia.