There's a place for dance in everybody's lives says Strictly's Craig

Fans of dance show Strictly Come Dancing will be able to peek inside the Strictly glitter ball during a new show from judge Craig Revel Horwood.

Following the continued success of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, Horwood's brand new show, Strictly Confidential, will thrill fans at Birmingham's Symphony Hall on Wednesday.

It features Lisa Riley, Artem Chigvintsev, Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite, who will provide a personal insight into the stories and events that led them to their Strictly Come Dancing adventure.

The brand new show has been written and directed by notorious judge Craig Revel Horwood and will take fans on a journey told through live music, song and breathtaking dance routines.

Revel Horwood is looking forward to the show. "People don't realise I do anything but Strictly, but now they get to know I am a director and choreographer and that Strictly is a sort of Saturday job running up to Christmas.

"I like it in a way that I am sort of anonymous in the directing and choreography world and was faceless until the TV, which took over.

"It's hard to believe we are in our tenth year. It has certainly given choreographers a voice and brought dance to the foreground and inspired a host of other TV dance shows.

"There's a place for dance in everybody's lives. You can do it for fun but even our worst celebrities come away with something."

Revel Horwood hopes to feature on Strictly for years to come: "Yes, I enjoy it and it's a fantastic Saturday job that lets me continue with my other career. This year I have Strictly Confidential, then I'm doing The Witches Of Eastwick at The Watermill Theatre where I did Sunset Boulevard. It's a real challenge and I can't wait to get to rehearsals.

"Then directly after that I am doing a similar thing with Fiddler On The Roof starring Paul Michael Glaser who was Starsky in Starsky And Hutch, and oddly he played Perchick in the regional movie and is now playing the lead role Tevye.

"He is really looking forward to that because he is an actor with musical experience. Then Strictly starts again and we're on the road to Christmas and I do panto, this year in Southend on Sea, reprising my role as the Wicked Queen. Then I will be devising the new Strictly Arena show.

"The great thing about Strictly Confidential is that it can go to places the big arena show cannot go. In this show you learn about Lisa Riley and Ian, and Artem and Natalie.

"It's sort of autobiographical, things that happen to them and things you can't say on the TV show. It appeals to all ages, with extra numbers and dance styles.

"I want to keep theatre going and people coming to the theatre. I can use Strictly to get people who would not necessarily go to the theatre into theatres. It's a win win situation.

"The TV has also helped with my charity work. I love doing the arty farty stuff but equally the commercial stuff and one helps keep the other alive.

"I love panto because it introduces children to live theatre."

By Andy Richardson