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AFTER
three gruelling months on the television show, the seven stars of BBC’s
Strictly Come Dancing are set to go through it all again starting at the
NIA with the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2014. The tour, which also will visit Leeds, Sheffield,
Newcastle and Glasgow ishosted by 2012 Strictly star Lisa Riley and
promises to be the most glittering tour yet over 31 shows.including some
homecomings.
“The city looked after me so warmly when I was in
Coronation Street and I can’t wait to play to a north-west crowd. “Also it will be the first time my mum has seen me dance live. During the series she wanted to stay at home so she could vote for me so it will be the first time she will see me dance.” Natalie, 29, who famously suffered a recurring
back injury during her time on Strictly, said: “The situation with my
back was unusual. I have suffered with it before but you’re not normally
working or dancing seven days a week. “The treatment was exceptional and after a
holiday over Christmas, I’m desperate to cling on to some sequins again.
I’ve heard you can buy them so I might get one as a memento of my
Strictly experience.” Abbey Clancy who is desperate not to hang up her dance shoes Strictly Come Dancing 2013 winner, footballer’s
wife and TV presenter Abbey Clancy, 27, married to former England and
Stoke striker Peter Crouch, is another star desperate not to hang up her
dance shoes. “For me Strictly has been the most incredible
experience and I wanted to carry on forever,” she said. “So the tour is
a brilliant opportunity to keep dancing. “It will be amazing to go and perform at the Echo
Arena in Liverpool in front of loads of Scousers. This is a chance for
all my family and friends who couldn’t make it to the TV show, to come
and see me dance. “Peter loves dancing and so does our daughter
Sophia. When I was on Strictly she wouldn’t watch the show unless she
was wearing a tutu and little dance shoes. The costumes on the show are
beautiful and I love the fact the tour means I can carry on getting made
up, getting a fake tan, tons of glitter and millions of hair extensions.
It’s every girl’s dream.” Abbey’s not the only one who’s itching to get
back into her Strictly costume. Waterloo Road star Mark Benton, 48, was
knocked out in week nine but was a firm favourite with fans for his
off-the-wall routines and outlandish outfits with partner Iveta
Lukosiute, including their version of MC Hammer’s You Can’t Touch
This, complete with rap-star style gold costume. It’s a
crowd-pleaser that looks certain to get another outing on the live tour. “I think we’re going to do You Can’t Touch This
on the tour.” Mark said, “So many people come up to me and say they love
it, it would be rude not to do it. “But I think we’d love to put more content into
the dance on the live show. Mark, who lost three stone during his time on the
show,
“I’m also looking forward to the dates in Glasgow. It’s where we film Waterloo Road and it’s a great city. I’m half Scottish, my mum’s from Ayrshire so I have strong ties to Scotland and it will be thrilling to be back. “We want to really surprise people on the tour.
Ben Cohen kept taking his top off to win over the ladies, so maybe I
will take my trousers off?” he joked. Rugby player Ben Cohen’s topless Paso Doble with
his partner Kristina Rihanoff was certainly one of the highlights of the
series and one which Ben says he’s hoping to bring out again on the
tour.
The 35-year-old, who helped England win the Rugby
World Cup in Australia 2003, said: “We put up a vote on Twitter asking
fans which dance they wanted to see again on the tour and it was the
Paso Doble that kept coming up. “When you sign up for something like Strictly,
you think afterwards: ‘Why on earth did I do that? “But then you start training and see how hard it
is and how hard the professionals work. And you get used to going out in
front of a nation and you overcome challenges and it becomes a
highlight. “The lessons I’ve learned on the show are
life-lasting. “Although Strictly is a competition, the real
competition is with yourself, and how far you can push yourself and shed
your inhibitions about dancing. I can’t wait to get around the country
and show people what a fantastic production this is.” Strictly Come Dancing 2013 runner-up and BBC
Breakfast star Susanna Reid also built up a loyal following during her
time on Strictly. The 42-year-old TV presenter was dubbed ‘Superwoman’
for her ability to fit in a demanding career on breakfast television,
being a mum to three children and her training for the show. So
performing in front of a crowd of 10,000 excited Strictly fans filing
arenas should be a doddle, right? “I work on TV so am used to performing in front
of cameras and not seeing the whites of people’s eyes looking up at you
and hoping to be entertained,” she said. “But performing to such a big crowd, you get the
instant feedback that you don’t get with TV. I got a taste of it during
Strictly in front of the studio audience and more so at Blackpool and I
am looking forward to it again on the tour.” So what does Susanna, who is based in Salford
with BBC Breakfast, think she’ll bring to the Strictly live tour? “I
think I have proved that as a woman over 40 with three children you can
learn to dance with a gorgeous young teacher,” she said with a laugh. “I
might not get every step right, but I do it with a smile on my face. And
after the tour is over I will still be dancing in my local clubs every
Friday night.” One person who’s certainly not frightened of the
judges is Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, 54. The business guru is
chomping at the bit to get back in front of Len, Craig and Bruno for
another chance at dancing with her partner Robin Windsor. “I went out of the show quite early on” she said
“So for me the tour will be an extension of my time on Strictly and a
chance to perfect the routines.
“I loved Strictly, but with the tour I hope I can
enjoy dancing without the pressure. I didn’t mind the judges’ comments
one bit and I can’t wait to put my dancing shoes back on and get back on
the dance floor for one more go.” But it’s not only this year’s crop of celebrities
limbering up for a return to the Strictly dance floor. Westlife star Nicky Byrne, who appeared in last
year’s series, is also dry cleaning his tuxedo and polishing up his
dance shoes for another shot at getting his hands on the glitter ball
trophy. Nicky, 35, who made it to the last eight
contestants in 2012, is back with his partner Karen Hauer, and says he
can’t wait to get back on the road - despite his wife Georgina giving
birth to the couple’s third child in October. “We toured so many of the arenas we’re visiting
when I was with Westlife so it will bring back some great memories.
Places like Wembley, The O2, but also Glasgow’s Hydro arena, which
wasn’t built when we last toured so I’m really excited about getting the
chance to perform there. A year away hasn’t dampened Nicky’s competitive
spirit either. “I really want to win. I wanted to win the series
last year and I was gutted when I got knocked out,” he said. “And I’m looking forward to getting in front of the judges again. You always have good fun and banter with them and I’ve had a year to prepare my one-liners!” Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2014 ran at the NIA from Jan 17-19 |
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Strictly
2013 runner-up, Coronation Street actress Natalie Gumede, who will be
reunited with her dance partner Artem Chigvintsev, said: “I am very much
looking forward to performing in Manchester.
added:
“I am from Cleveland, so I can’t wait to get on the tour and get up to
perform in the north east. All my friends and family are up there so I
will drag them along.