strictly come dancing descends en masse on liverpool

By Catherine Jones on Oct 14, 09 11:24 AM

You wait for one Strictly show - and then FOUR come along, if not together than in fairly close succession.
Merseyside fans of the BBC Saturday night dance extravaganza will be spoilt for choice come the new year as nearly every Strictly Come Dancing star will descend on the city.

Firstly there's the main Strictly celebrity tour which arrives at the ECHO Arena for two nights on January 18-19 (Austin Healey, Kelly Brook and Mark Ramprakash were the first celebs announced for the tour at the end of last week).
But if you can't wait until then, never fear. I see today that Strictly's first Pro winner - and mellowed "bad boy" - Brendan Cole is bringing his "Live and Unjudged" show to the Empire a week earlier on January 11, promising "an all-singing, all-dancing live show" where Brendan and special guests showcase a host of classic dance moves from the "sensual rumba to the elegant foxtrot; from the red hot salsa to the explosive pasa doble".
Then, not to be outdone, on February 4 ballroom experts Anton du Beke (causing as we've seen a wee bit of controversy at present) and partner Erin Boag return to the Philharmonic Hall for the second time in two years with their own dance show.
And finally, not one but FIVE professional Strictly couples will shed their celebrity dancers to strut their stuff for a whole week at the Empire in June next year.
Phew! I feel tired just thinking about all those Pasos and Quicksteps....