Glitter ball is out again for strictly Live!
KELVIN AND CATHERINE AMONG DANCE CELEBS IN ARENA SHOW
MANCHESTER Arena will be transformed into a glittering dance floor this weekend, as the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour jives into town.
The live dance competition follows a similar formula to the popular BBC reality show, with celebrities paired up with professional dancers to waltz, foxtrot and salsa their way into the audiences’ hearts.
While the expert judges will offer feedback and scores out of 10, it’s the audience who pick a winner via text vote.
Seven celebrities from last year’s series will take part in this year’s tour, including Strictly champion Kelvin Fletcher, each doing two Latin or ballroom dances.
As well as the famous faces on the dance floor, professional dancers join together for huge showstopping routines.
The Strictly Come Dancing Live tour, which is directed by Craig Revel Horwood, will be in Manchester tomorrow and Sunday, after already visiting Birmingham, Aberdeen and Leeds.
It will then go on to Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow, Nottingham and London.
Series 16 winner and TV presenter Stacey Dooley will be hosting this year’s live show.
She’s replacing Ore Oduba, who has hosted it for the previous two years, and stepping into the dancing shoes previously occupied by Zoe Ball, Mel Giedroyc and Kate Thornton.
Only three of the usual four judges will be on the road with the live tour.
Queen of Latin Shirley Ballas, flamboyant Bruno Tonioli, and of course the fearsome Craig Revel Horwood will all be dishing out the scores on the floor.
Seven of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing celebrity contestants will be in the line-up for the live tour.
Last series’ champion - and Oldham local - Kelvin Fletcher will be partnered with Janette Manrara, rather than Oti Mabuse who he competed with on TV.
Eastenders actress Emma Barton also has a new partner, coupling up with Graziano Di Prima.
They’ll be joined by YouTuber Saffron Barker with her professional partner AJ Pritchard, BBC Breakfast’s Mike Bushell and Katya Jones, and Sky Sports presenter Alex Scott and Neil Jones.
Coronation Street’s Catherine Tyldesley will be back dancing with Johannes Radebe, and completing the line-up is CBBC presenter Karim Zeroual with Amy Dowden.
Fans can expect to see some of the most popular routines from the course of the series last year, including Karim’s perfect-scoring jive, Saffron’s Sinatra-themed foxtrot and Kelvin’s sizzling samba.
There are four performances taking place in Manchester over the two days, with two matinees and two evening shows.