A STRICTLY Come Dancing star has revealed his dream dance partner and favourite moments ahead of an upcoming show.

An Evening With Anton Du Beke will be at the Theatre Royal in Brighton on May 8.

The intimate evening will see the Strictly Come Dancing dancer and judge take to the stage alongside his band and close friend Lance Ellington.

The 55-year-old has been involved in the BBC show since it began in 2004.

Tell us about An Audience with Anton Du Beke.

“I’m going to be talking about me, you can ask me any question you like and I’m going to tell you about my career and my life, but we’re going to do it with dance and we’re going to do it with song.”

How is it not having to consult with a partner during the creative process?

“I’ve always taken the attitude that I'm not doing this for me, I am doing this for an audience.

“What I might think is hilarious might not resonate with anyone else, so I’m very much of the attitude that I’ll ask people.

“I'm very much of the attitude that when I walk out on stage then it’s my responsibility to perform to the best of my ability. I’m not so egotistical that it has to be my way or the highway, because I might not be right.”

How much is going to be scripted on the night?

“It won’t be scripted, it will be completely improvised. I’m going to go along with what people speak to me about.

“Obviously I'm not improvising the song, it’s not a jazz club. I’m not going to improvise the dance numbers.”

Do you feel that everything you’ve done in your career has led to An Audience With Anton Du Beke?

“Even I, the great Anton Du Beke, after doing this for so long, I sometimes think, ‘what if I actually could do this on my own?’.

“I’ve never done anything on my own, I’d never done it solo. I’ve always had a partner. Fundamentally it will be driven by me. It’s to see if I can do this as well, even now I still want to know and push myself to try it and do it.

“With all the things I’ve done in my performing life, it’s lovely to go out on stage with all that experience, all that behind me and go ‘OK let’s do this and see what happens’.”

Would look into expanding this show into a larger tour for 2023 or beyond?

“Potentially yes. I mean it depends on what else I'm doing. We’re not doing massive venues and if it does work, I would like to take it into big venues.

“I have always wanted to do the Royal Albert Hall, all those people there, you can have a bigger band and get some special guests in.

“I’d like to do a little intimate Evening With Anton Du Beke at the Royal Albert Hall.”

How does it feel to be a judge on Strictly?

“I'm absolutely thrilled being a judge on Strictly Come Dancing. I can’t tell you how excited I am every week to watch the couples performing their numbers, knowing exactly what they’ve been through to get to this point.

“And with my fingers crossed they don’t have any mishaps, I’m all up to speed on what mishaps go like, I have had lots of those over the years. So I'm very, very excited about being a judge and loving every second.”

How does being a judge differ from dancing on the show?

“The big difference between dancing on the show and being a judge of course is I’m guaranteed to make the final, that’s the most exciting thing for me.

“Also, I don't get critiqued by the other three, they’re so mean. That’s always been the worst part of the show for me, being voted off.

“I’ve always hated that bit and wished I could have stayed into the final for every year I’ve done it. But it doesn't work like that unfortunately. So being the judge is a joy, to stay there every week watching fabulous dancing.”

What’s your favourite Strictly memory?

“The moment I had with Brucie when we did ‘me and my shadow’.

“Another great highlight, we opened the show in musicals week, with a great ensemble piece that I sang and walked through the number with everybody. It’s called ‘Anything can happen on the Strictly stage’ and I loved that moment.

“Whether it’s falling down with Ruth Langsford in the paso doble, or it’s flying Ann Widdicombe in or throwing her across the floor and skidding, or dancing with Katie Derham making the final. Even the very first moments on Strictly with Lesley Garrett walking out on the first show.”

Who is your dream dance partner?

“Well, I’ve always said I never mind who they put me with on the show. I’ve always enjoyed dancing with all the ladies I’ve danced with over the years.

“But there’s one person I would have loved to have danced with over the years, that would have been Darcey Bussell. I never got a chance to dance with Dame Darcey herself. That would have been a lot of fun. Maybe sometime in the future.”

What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you on stage?

“I’ve had so many incredible moments on stage over the years. Whether it’s just great numbers or fabulous moments. But the funniest moments are the bits that go wrong - as was always the case. I’ve fallen on stage with a partner in my arms once, the audience seem to have really enjoyed that.

“Forgetting lyrics to songs, inside you’re dying but the audience is going ‘hey, he’s forgotten that one’. Things like that really are fun moments that you can laugh about after, but at the time it gives you the twitch. They seem to be the fun moments.”