Tag Archives: alexandra burke

A complete guide to London pantomimes

The history of pantomime and some of the best pantos to catch this Christmas. Read my full London Theatre article here

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Why do Strictly viewers hate Ashley Roberts?

This weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-final saw a third consecutive trip to the dreaded dance-off for ex-Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts – despite topping the leaderboard with pro partner Pasha Kovalev after notching four nines for a fierce Paso Doble and a perfect … Continue reading

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Is Strictly’s judging going to pot?

In these divisive times, we can count on the BBC’s sequin-fest to get all the generations round the telly on a Saturday night, becoming armchair experts on fleckerls and voltas. In this 16th series, however, the good ship Strictly has hit more icebergs … Continue reading

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Chess, London Coliseum

Chess, by Tim Rice and ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, hasn’t had a major West End revival since its Eighties heyday, but it’s back with a bang in a semi-staged production that features aerial silk acrobatics, cheerleading stunts and drunken Cossack dancing. But … Continue reading

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Strictly Speaking: The Final

And then we came to the end. All in all, it’s been a cracker of a series, and the final really was the, er, brandy cream on the pudding. We had a great run of dances from all four couples, … Continue reading

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More Strictly chat on Georgey Spanswick

I joined Georgey Spanswick again on her BBC radio show to talk Strictly. Click here to listen to the interview (I’m on at about 2hr 36min)

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Strictly Speaking: Week 12

Two dances is theoretically a good test of range, growth and performance at this crucial stage, but can often make for a night of half-finished numbers – the pros’ steely ambition exceeding the knackered celebs’ execution. So it proved in … Continue reading

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Strictly Speaking: Week 11

Musicals Week – where ballroom comes to die. Well, not entirely, but it did feel for much of the evening as though we were watching the backdoor pilot episode of spin-off Strictly Come Auditioning For The West End (Who Are … Continue reading

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Strictly Speaking: Week 10

Another week, another “shock” dance-off entrant. Yes, nothing will quite match Aston’s exit, but this is still an enjoyably open series. Two more frontrunners (and judges’ favourites) have now landed in the bottom, while those of the genus dark horse … Continue reading

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Strictly Speaking: Week 9

Well, this wasn’t exactly a vintage Blackpool Week. Alexandra was pretty much the only celebrity to rise to the heights of breathless “Mecca of Ballroom” hyperbole, and even then she had the ever-irritating Human Props to contend with. Read my … Continue reading

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