Glitz, glamour and movie magic on the dancefloor when Anton and Erin come to Wolverhampton

He narrowly missed out on the Glitterball Trophy during the most recent series, finishing second, but is now focused on his own show with long-term partner Erin Boag.

The household names, national treasures and true stars of stage and screen are the most respected and recognisable couple in ballroom dancing today.

And they will line up on Wednesday at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre in Dance Those Magical Movies.

Professional partners since 1997, the couple encapsulate the glitz, glamour and elegance of a bygone era and truly are modern day stars of stage and screen, adding showbiz sparkle wherever they appear.

From making regular television appearances, headlining high profile events, to taking their class act on tour – much to the delight of their loyal and devoted fans – they really are the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of our modern times.

Anton and Erin’s amazing journey began when the pair first met back in 1997. The couple quickly began to cut a dash through the dancing world, and within a year of forming their inimitable partnership they won the New Zealand Championships -and again the year after.

In 1997 they also made it to the prestigious International Dance Championships at London’s Royal Albert Hall. After escalating the amateur rankings, Anton and Erin turned professional in 2002 to place 3rd in the UK in their first professional competition in Blackpool.

Wins, accolades and much recognition were to follow as they continued to work the competition circuit, honing their talents.

It was no surprise that the couple caught the eye of the BBC when it decided that prime-time Saturday television was in need of a strictly fabulous new show. What with Anton’s wit and charm, and Erin’s allure and elegance, the couple were chosen in 2004 to star in the first series of the BBC1 television show Strictly Come Dancing.

That was their big break and would whisk them away from competitive life and onto career opportunities they had not dreamed possible with Come Dancing was reborn, with a new format, celebrity partners, high profile judges, and the nation’s favourite Bruce Forsyth at the helm.

The show burst onto our screens and has gone on to become a global phenomenon. Anton appearing in all series to date, and Erin the only female professional to appear in 10, before stepping down from the competition prior to the birth of her son.

Du Beke says was born in Kent and remarkably his biggest disappointment is not winning more dance contests. “Yes, it’s not doing as well as I’d hoped in dancing competitions. I was massively competitive and massively disappointed most of the time. It’s the same now.”

Tthe biggest life lesson that he’s learned is to keep moving forward. “One of my old dance teachers used to say, “Get better – don’t complain, don’t blame other people, just get better at what you’re doing.”.And my mum always says to me, “Keep going, keep working.”

Erin, meanwhile, is looking forward to being on the road. “Our costume maker is the same person who designs the costumes for Strictly Come Dancing, and I can’t wait to see all the sparkles.”

“We have a 23-piece concert orchestra [under the baton of Richard Balcombe] that travels with us, as well as eight professional dancers who are all brilliant. Lance Ellington, the Strictly vocalist, will be singing for us too. Everything’s set.”

These days, Erin combines her career with being a mother to Ewan, aged five.

“I’m the same as a lot of working mothers, trying to do it all! That’s why I gave up Strictly,” she says. “It’s a seven-day-a-week job, from August to December. You have to travel to wherever your celebrity is. And I just decided not to juggle that with looking after my son, so I said thank you very much but no thank you to Strictly. Now when I go on tour, my mum comes over from New Zealand to help. You just have to make it work.”