Review: Oti Mabuse lights up Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre

And so began Oti Mabuse's tale of her life so far, from her homeland in South Africa to Strictly champion via Germany.

The popular two-time glitterball winner has of course now left the hit programme to pursue other ventures, including choreographing a musical – The Cher Show – which can be seen at the Grand in October.

All this was interspersed with stunning dance moves and costume changes. Add in an ensemble of nine co-dancers, one of them her husband Marius Lepure and another Wolverhampton's own Sasha Woodward, stunning vocals and excellent live band and you have a night of high entertainment.

The first half included a recreation of the samba Oti performed with Danny Mac on Strictly in 2016 – this featured a mid-routine costume change – and a beautiful waltz with her husband to 99 Red Balloons, sung partly in German.

Oti revealed that even after moving to Germany she spent a lot of time in the UK, participating in competitions and trying to hone her skills. And in a video backdrop she paid tribute to all the women who had helped to shape and influence her career.

She made no secret of her love for her homeland, and the second half of the show was dedicated to South Africa. With video footage of her family, what followed was a series of exquisite routines performed to traditional South African sounds, including one with the cast dressed in overalls and wellies. The pick, however, was an elegant but poignant nod to the days of the Apartheid regime, and she paid tribute to her niece Tlhogi, who died in March at the age of 28.

It was fast moving, colourful, glamorous and emotional.

The audience got involved with some prompted moves at the end and the standing ovation was well deserved.

Oti Mabuse will be performing at Birmingham Hippodrome on July 3.