HAVING long been a fan of Ian and Natalie on Strictly Come Dancing, I was really looking forward to seeing them in the flesh, so to speak.
The venue was probably a lot smaller than they are used to, but that did not hold them back – they came on dancing to Shirley Bassey’s Let’s Get this Party Started. 

Ian said it was very exciting to finally see his name in lights, referring to the I&N at the back of the stage, in small, not very impressive, lights.
Natalie’s dresses were gorgeous, ranging from bright red and sparkly to pale white and flouncy.

The backing singer was Luke Upton, a jazzy, strong-voiced lad whose numbers between every dance were a little bit too much for me; the show needed more dancing and less singing. 

There was a lot of audience participation and dance groups from the area who teach Fit Steps, were on stage and performed a dance routine with Ian and Natalie.

Ian seems far more camp on stage than when he’s on TV, and there was far too much smut in the show for my liking. 

Over the next few years, with a bit of polish and a lot more dancing, this pair could go a long way.

Pam Parker