CELEBRITIES going out on the Strictly tour have been told to prepare to party in every city.
The hit BBC show first took to the road in 2008.
Ever since, the professional dancers have made sure everyone lets their hair down after all the gruelling hours of hard work put into the main series.
The gang, including Sarah Hadland, Tasha Ghouri and JB Gill have just started in Brimingham and will travel from from London’s O2 to Glasgow’s OVO Hydro in a 30-date extravaganza.
And the star attractions are ready to live it up.
Gladiator Montell Douglas who is 39 on Friday, said with a laugh: “The pros have been saying the vibe on tour is electric, everyone’s up for a laugh and it’s one big celebration after the main show.
“The WhatsApp group is popping.
"It’s my birthday when we are in Newcastle, which is a great night out!
“That might be an epic night where we’re like, no instagram posts guys.”
Meanwhile, former X Factor winner Shayne Ward reckons he won’t be hitting the bar after the show because he’s not quite ready for the hangovers — and has other half Sophie Austin on his mind.
He said: “I’m definitely going to have fun on tour but the problem is hangovers last a lot longer these days now we’re adults.
“Sophie’s at home with the kids so I don’t want to show myself partying too much!”
For Sarah, the chance to perform to packed-out arenas is a dream come true.
She said: “I’ll be living my pop star life on tour. I can’t believe we’re selling out arenas.
“The penny fully dropped the other day because I said to my friend, “I’m gonna be playing arenas’.
"I said, 'Who am I? Sarah Hadland from Wilmslow. You’re doing an arena tour. What?'"
“I mean, that’s why I had to do it. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, just insane.”
EastEnders’ Jamie Borthwick will return to Walford just ten days before the soap’s 40th anniversary live episode.
He reckons his Strictly experience has cured him of any nerves ahead of the big milestone.
He said: “You know what?
"That live episode will be a walk in the park now I’ve done Strictly, I won’t even be thinking about nerves.
“Nothing will be scarier than dancing in front of millions.”
SAZ HART YEARN
SARAH HADLAND hopes Miranda – the hit comedy she was in – will make a return after ten years.
Telly fans were excited to see her and pal Miranda Hart, who created the BBC comedy, reunited behind the scenes on Strictly.
Now the pocket rocket says the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special has sparked reunion rumours for her show.
Sarah, above with dancer Nikita Kuzmin, played Miranda’s friend Stevie in the sitcom that ran from 2009 to 2015.
The actress, who made last year’s Strictly final paired with Vito Coppola, said: “Bringing Miranda back would be amazing.
"I think with shows like Gavin & Stacey, and if I can be cheeky and include Miranda in that kind of vein, there’s warmth and heart.
“That is what people ultimately respond to. So it would be amazing to revisit that.
“When Miranda came and filmed with Vito and me, you know, you have those old ways that you click into in front of a camera.
"It’s so easy and so comfortable.
“I do think, as well, Miranda really wanted the show to finish on a high.
"Gavin & Stacey has shown you can do something special.”
TASHA: HAPPY I LOST
SHE may have been called the best celebrity dancer ever to appear on Strictly Come Dancing, but Tasha Ghouri was relieved at not winning.
The Love Islander missed out on the Glitterball Trophy when blind comedian Chris McCausland was crowned champion with his dance professional Dianne Buswell instead.
And Tasha, reunited with partner Aljaz Skorjanec for the tour launch, left, says she breathed a sight of relief when host Tess Daly didn’t call out her name.
She said: “I definitely would’ve felt guilty if I’d won, 100 per cent, because Chris had to put in twice the amount of hard work we did.
“Dianne really had to teach him a different way by moving his body and he had to touch her body to feel how she moved.
“Their partnership together was unstoppable.
"You could see the joy on his face when he won.
"He was just so happy, we all were.
"I think we all stood in that final knowing it was gonna be him.
“I mean, it was an epic final.”
SAUCY Dianne dresses up as a ketchup bottle for one of the tour routines.
She had some bottle showing it off on Instagram at the weekend.
Dianne and Chris have also just announced they will be reuniting to host their own podcast.
COLSON NO CLUCK WITH JOB
COLSON SMITH has been struggling to find a new vocation since he left Corrie.
Talking to the On The Sofa podcast the Craig Tinker actor, who was on ITV’s Celebrity Big Brother last year, said he’d toyed with being a Deliveroo driver or even working at his local leisure centre.
He’s also given some serious consideration to chicken farming, and added: “If (co-star) Sue Cleaver hears this, she will not deny she’s Mrs Tweedy from Chicken Run – and she sees me as the dog.”
But Colson has been put off the idea of any kind of farming thanks to the new Labour government, adding: “Keir Starmer’s inheritance tax - I don’t want to be lumped with that, do I?”
Maybe you should give EastEnders or Emmerdale a call then, Colson?
Bizbit
THE eagerly awaited return of Gladiators on BBC One on Saturday only had 4million tuning in.
It was a respectable figure, but less impressive when you note it was the start of the second series.
On ITV, The Masked Singer had 4.2million tuning in – and that’s half-way through its current run.
DANNY’S POSH LOO SECRET
NAUGHTY Danny Dyer might end up being banned from the famous Dorchester hotel for one of his most mischievous habits.
The former EastEnders actor says he often goes into the rather swish London landmark to do something less than luxurious.
Danny said on this week’s episode of A League Of Their Own, on Sky: “Sometimes I like to go to a posh hotel like The Dorchester and go to those beautiful khazis and have a right naughty pony.”
But despite being a bit rough round the edges, Danny insists his tag as a hardman was unwarranted, even when he was playing Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter.
He said: “I don’t think I’ve ever played a hardman, it’s all b*****ks.
“I wore a pink dressing gown in EastEnders for nine years.”
