Review: Strictly The Live Tour, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham
It was more a case of keeeep running! as the train pulled in, then out of the station as we approached the platform. However, unlike a 10 from Craig Revel Horwood, another was not far behind.
And all to see Ed Balls lumber about on the dance floor.
Welcome to the Strictly Live Tour 2017, the opening night, one of three consecutive dates in Birmingham and the start of the 10th anniversary tour.
Just when you thought you had seen the last of Len Goodman, he pops up here as one of three judges, alongside Revel Horwood and Karen Hardy, 2004 series winner and a regular on the It Takes Two spin-off.
Anita Rani, a quarter-finalist in 2015 and a winner in the Second City on last year's tour, is a more than capable host. But it was the dancers they came to see.
Just six couples took to the floor, including series winner Ore Oduba, partnered with Karen Clifton and not her sister-in-law Joanne. Another change from last year's series saw the evergreen Lesley Joseph trade in her partner Anton du Beke for a younger model in Gorka Marquez.
Judges' scores counted for nothing as the audience decided the winner.
Craig was generous with his 10 paddle from the off, Danny Mac and Oti Mabuse scoring a perfect 30 for their Charleston to add to the 25 10s they notched up throughout the series.
The hard-to-please judge reverted to type, however, with a six, and jeers, for Lesley's opening quickstep.
He reserved his major criticism for Balls, though, scoring him three for his and Katya Jones's American Smooth, in which he also perfected THAT lift. That alone had the crowd on the ex-politician's side.
Oduba, unsurprisingly, also scored top marks - for both his routines, the jive that received such acclaim on the show, followed by his show dance. So, if judging on technicality, Oduba would have been a deserved winner. For sheer entertainment value, it was Balls's night, particularly for his Gangnam Style routine that Revel Horwood replicated.
As it happened, neither took home the glitter ball as Mac and Mabuse secured the audience vote. Their opener was followed by the samba, which scored a 39 from the experts.
You have to feel sorry for Kevin Clifton, however. Seemingly always a runner-up, not even the thigh-slapping quickstep to Deadwood Stage with Louise Redknapp could make up for the four yee-hahs of hurt as he came second again.
Alijaz Skoranec, meanwhile, dancing with Daisy Lowe, was hampered, as according to the caption on screen he lost an 'i'.
There were also clips of Len's highlights from all the years of Strictly.
Other pros, including Janette Manrara, AJ Pritchard, Oksana Platero and Giovanni Pernice, took part in the group dances. Together with the excellent band and singers they made the whole experience Strictly Fab-u-lous.
By Mark Shipp
