Strictly stars Anton and Erin to dazzle in ‘biggest show in the UK’

Anton Du Beke has said he got “dance envy” as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing and cannot wait to step onto the dancefloor on his UK tour.

Du Beke, 55, and his former Strictly professional dancer Erin Boag had to postpone their 2021 tour due to coronavirus restrictions.

The pair, who have been dancing for 25 years together, are putting on a show that celebrates the world’s greatest stars of entertainment including Sir Elton John, Dame Shirley Bassey and Frank Sinatra.

Speaking about their long dance history, Du Beke told the PA news agency: “With that comes familiarity that’s the great thing, some things you just can’t rush, they just take time.

“There’s experience and ease that you get with time and that’s why partnerships, comedic, dance, or sporting, the one thing everybody needs is time to gel, mesh and get on the same page.”

Boag, 46, added: “Every stage, every night is different, and Anton has been known to change routines quite a lot, having danced with him for so long it is almost like you can mind read.

“I always have to be alert dancing with Anton, I can’t nod off dancing with him.

“It keeps it interesting, it is quite nerve wracking dancing with Anton when he is doing different routines every night.”

The ballroom couple were set to perform with a 23-piece orchestra, a West End dance ensemble and they have revealed they had to get a truck for all their costumes.

Du Beke added: “Our touring show is the biggest in the UK, 23-piece orchestra, two singers.

“Having said that, it is quite an intimate show because we involve the audience throughout with a Q&A.

“I think we are the only people who do it, we do it because people ask us to do it. That’s the joy for us.”

Having been a professional on Strictly Come Dancing since series one, Du Beke joined the judging panel as a permanent fixture during the 2021 series.

Talking about his experience, he told PA: “I did have dance envy on the show this year watching some of those numbers just brilliant, you sit there and think ‘I wish that was me doing that.’

“I was hoping to do that last year but with Covid regulations and bubbling we weren’t allowed to mix.”

Boag, who was a professional on the BBC’s flagship show from 2004 to 2012, said that she thought Anton was an “incredible judge”.

She added: “I found Anton gave great constructive criticism because he’s been there and done it, you know the pressure they have gone through.

“And I also noticed the great respect you received from the professionals and the celebrities when giving your feedback. The balance on the panel was perfect.”

She added that if she was to return to Strictly as a celebrity she would like to be partnered with new professional Kai Widdrington who she described as a “big presence” on the dancefloor.

The dancing couple are set to debut their tour Showtime this week.