There are certain annual TV staples with which we subconsciously keep track of the year, tentpoles of the pop culture calendar that mark various seasonal changes far more reliably than our fickle British weather. For instance, if the advent of Strictly ushers in the initial winds of Autumn, the start of I’m a Celebrity signals the unofficial start of the festive season – and this year, the two are set to crossover, with former pro and fan favourite Oti Mabuse revealed as one of 2024’s starting campmates. Could the two-time Queen of the Dancefloor also be crowned Queen of the Jungle?
Either way, we’re thrilled to have Oti joining us at The Bridgewater Hall next summer for her latest tour, Viva Carnival!, an invigorating celebration of the world’s most electrifying festival atmospheres, taking in ‘the sambas of the Brazillian Carnival to the tangos of Argentina’s Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia, the dance scene at England’s own Glastonbury Festival and the swing of the Jazz Fest in New Orleans’. A colourful evening awaits.
Oti’s not the only Strictly star, however, soon to be swapping the screen for our stage.
The standout professional of this year’s series is debatably Dianne Buswell – widely praised for her work with her partner and the show’s first ever blind contestant Chris McCausland – who’ll be at the Hall to headline the latest edition of global dance sensation, Burn The Floor, next July, along with fellow Strictly pro Vito Coppola. Created by BAFTA award winner and world-renowned choreographer Jason Gilkison, ‘Red Hot and Ready’ is described as ‘the ultimate high-voltage dance extravaganza, exploding with jaw dropping choreography, heart-pounding music and breath-taking moves’ – a show not to be missed.
Another couple from the current series inspirationally demonstrating that dance is for everyone are Aljaz Škorjanec and Tasha Ghouri, the latter Love Island’s first deaf contestant and a fierce advocate for her community. No strangers to The Bridgewater Hall, Aljaz and his real-life partner Janette Manrara – host of Strictly’s sister show It Takes Two – are already set to return in May 2025 with their latest show, A Night to Remember. An evening ‘of first-class family entertainment’, they’ll be joined by their own big band – fronted by boogie woogie legend Tom Seals – and a terrific ensemble of dancers and singers as they perform to music from ‘the Great American Songbook right up to modern day classics’.
Just before that, we’ll be welcoming Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu, who’ll be sharing the Bridgewater stage as part of their new show, Reborn. ‘A testament to the joy of dancing’, audiences can look forward to an evening in which the pair will paint an intimate portrait of their lives and journeys so far, Amy having made a triumphant return to the dancefloor in 2024 following a high-profile battle with breast cancer before an injury saw her sadly forced to withdraw from this year’s Strictly competition. Don’t fear that it’s all doom and gloom, however… Instead, the duo promises audiences an emotional and uplifting evening ‘in which the transformative power of dance shines through’.
Finally, from two newer additions to the Strictly stable to two time-honoured members of the team, we’re also thrilled to have Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez back to present their brand-new show, Speakeasy, following their fabulous debut tour, Firedance. ‘From the clandestine New York Speakeasy to the sultry Havana dance floors and from the Burlesque cabaret clubs of the mid-1900s to the glittering mirror balls of Studio 54’, expect an enigmatic mix of mamba, salsa, charleston, foxtrot and samba when they join us on Sunday 16 March. Strictly itself might be synonymous with the autumn and winter season, but its stars are out all year round.