A real SHOWSTOPPER

Strictly singer TOMMY BLAIZE tells us about puttin' on the glitz for Musicals Week, and his all-time favourite show moments

- EMMA BULLIMORE

STRICTLY COME DANCING SAT, 7.25 PM, & SUN, 7.20 PM, ENTERTAINMENT BBC1

Jazz hands at the ready! It's time for Strictly Come Dancing to razzle dazzle us with its annual celebration of theatreland toe-tappers in Musicals Week.

As our remaining celebrities and their professional partners prepare to tread the boards, the BBC1 sequinned spectacular's house band, conducted by musical director Dave Arch, will also be hard at work mastering the line-up of showstopping songs. Particularly skilled at channeling who has worked on the series since it began in 2004. 

Here, in an exclusive interview, Tommy, 60, who is embarking on his own UK tour next year, tells TV Times what it takes to make this special theme a hit...

Tommy, do you look forward to Strictly's Musicals Week as much as we do?

Yes, but it's always a challenge because everything needs to sound bigger and more choral than usual. Dave Arch's arrangements help with that, and, when the orchestra starts up, you feel like you're being transported into another world.

But also, there are so many different types of musicals and you never know what you're going to get. Personally, I love Broadway in the ballroom is singer Tommy Blaize,  the older ones like [1952 film] Singin' in the Rain. I loved singing for [presenter] Ore Oduba and professional dancer Joanne Clifton when they did their American-smooth routine to the title song for Movie Week [in 2016]. 

On the other hand, I always worry about Disney songs, because they are in such a high key and I need my voice to last! Sometimes I watch clips to find the character of the song, but I never want to impersonate the artist. I'm giving the essence.

Is it tricky remembering countless new songs?