GLITTERING PRIZE

IT is now the biggest entertainment show on TV, and every year celebrities line up to be part of Strictly Come Dancing – but it was not always the extravaganza it is now, with up to 14 million viewers.

The glitter ball trophy was a last-minute prize designed by props master Bobby. He says: “When we did show one, nobody thought about what they were going to win. It got to about two shows from the end, and the producer said, ‘What are we going to give them? Can you find something, Bob?’ “So I bought a big glitter ball and my lovely prop maker did the Strictly Come Dancing logo on a lovely Perspex, which we wrapped around, and we put it on a very heavy base. In fact the original one, which I still have, revolved. “I quake every final when they pick it up by the glitter ball. I think, ‘Oh no, the base is gonna fall off’.” Puttin’ on the Glitz: The Strictly Story, Radio 5 live, Sat 8pm.