Spanish Dancer and Illusionist "Sticky Vicky" Has Died at the Age of 80

The Gist:

• Sticky Vicky was a staple of Benidorm tourism until her retirement in 2015.
• News broke on Nov. 29, 2023, that she had died at age 80.
• Vicky's cause of death wasn't disclosed, but she retired from her show after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer.

The residents of Benidorm, Spain a mourning a legend following the news that "Sticky Vicky," a beloved performer who lived in the city, had died at the age of 80. The news of her death has left many remembering her legacy, and also curious about exactly what happened to her.

"Sticky Vicky," whose real name was Victoria María Aragüés Gadea, was a Spanish ballet dancer who was known for her vaginal magic show. She delivered her final performance almost a decade ago in 2015, and has been in retirement ever since.

Vicky died on Nov. 29, 2023, and had reportedly been unwell for some time prior to her death.

"I regret these words, my mother Sticky Vicky passed away today at 6 in the morning, I can't believe it," her daughter wrote on the official Sticky Vicky Facebook page. "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."

No details were offered about the exact nature of Vicky's illness, but given that she had been sick for some time, it seems like those close to her weren't surprised by the news of her death. She retired from her show at age 72 after she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Even so, her immediate family, and those in Benidorm who remembered her act or had the chance to see it live, are nonetheless in mourning following the news that she has died.

Vicky first moved to Benidorm in 1980, and she became a legend in the city thanks in part to the fact that the town was a popular vacation spot for British tourists. Her act ran for more than three decades, and involved her pulling a wide variety of objects from her private parts, including ping pong balls, razor blades, eggs, machetes, and handkerchiefs.

The show would end with the lights dimming, and Vicky producing a lit lightbulb from someplace unmentionable. It's estimated that 6 million people saw the show over the many years she performed it, and it would invariably run six nights a week, and was described as a must-see attraction in Benidorm.

When Vicky retired from the show, her daughter took over and began to perform a very similar routine.

"To do what I do you must have a lot of delicacy. It is necessary to give it a touch of elegance," she explained, adding that she didn't view the show as pornographic in spite of its explicit content.