The Courier’s resident Strictly aficionado Graeme Bletcher took time out to visit the live tour and the twinkle-toed news-man was not disappointed as he was bowled over by a rampant crab.
Sparkles, sequins, suntans and a “rampant crab” reigned supreme as the Strictly Come Dancing live tour captivated a sell-out Glasgow crowd.
Whether a Strictly virgin or a veteran viewer of the BBC behemoth, the show put on at the SSE Hydro simply couldn’t disappoint.
Fronted by Mel Giedroyc of Bake Off fame, the real life version was bigger, brighter and bolder than its small screen cousin but had a lot of familiar ingredients.
Safe pair of hands Len Goodman played his head judge role flanked by Bruno Tonioli and, of course, pantomime villain Craig Revel Horwood who was responsible for choreographing the tour.
While the competition was less intense, the atmosphere inside the tremendous venue undoubtedly made the show feel like the real thing.
Celebrity dancers Frankie Bridge, Jake Wood and Helen George were stand-outs on the evening, as was the impressive Anita Rani who showed marked improvement since her televised dances last year.
Ainsley Harriott did what he was there to do – dance out of step and keep the crowd laughing – while Georgia May Foote was every bit as polished as her TV appearances.
In terms of the professional dancers it was fans’ new favourite Gleb Savchenko who stole the show with his trademark rampant crab giving host Mel a night to remember.
Top couple of the night, however, were Jay McGuiness of boyband The Wanted and his partner Aliona Vilani. The pair were as flawless as ever with their lives dances and brought the house down with the final performance of the gig – ‘that’ jive.
The Strictly merry go round, it seems, can do no wrong and if the rapturous Glasgow reception is anything to go by it will keep dancing for a good few years yet.