EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AND PHOTOS
ON 20 YEARS OF MEMORIES — AND MOVING TO CENTRE STAGE
Twenty years ago, TV entertainer Sir Bruce Forsyth told Strictly Come Dancing singer Tommy Blaize something that would stay with him for a long time. “Tommy, you’ve got the best seat in the house,” he said to the man who has stood by the dancefloor singing the dancers through their routines since the first series in May 2004.
“He was right,” the 60-year-old tells HELLO! in this exclusive interview ahead of his first solo tour. “I’ve been spoilt for 20 years with the best seat in the house.”
Tommy is one of the four original stars left on Strictly, along with presenter Tess Daly, judge Craig Revel Horwood and dancer turned judge Anton Du Beke.
“There’s definitely that thing between us when we pass each other and just think: ‘We’re really old aren’t we?’” he says, laughing.
While the singer shares a close bond with the whole cast, he particularly feels a connection with head judge Shirley Ballas.
“As a fellow Scouser and someone who started in showbiz at a young age and around the same time, we’ve always had that extra connection. Shirley has such a positive influence on the show.”
Tommy’s soulful voice has been enjoyed by millions and helped create some of the show’s most memorable moments.
His own favourite memory is from 2008, when broadcaster John Sergeant and his pro partner Kristina Rihanoff danced the paso doble. “When John dragged Kristina across the dancefloor, you could see all of us singers with our mouths agape in the background,” he says. “There’s been many wonderful moments like that.”
SURPRISE SUCCESS
When Tommy first started on Strictly, he never dreamt it would be such a success – and neither did then head judge Len Goodman when they filmed the pilot.
“Len was an absolute diamond,” Tommy says. “I remember going up to him and saying: ‘What are you up to next week?’ He replied something like: ‘I’m not too sure, Tom, I don’t think this is going to last long.’ We laughed about it for years.”
More used to letting the dancers take centre stage, Tommy is both “nervous and excited” at stepping into the spotlight when his tour kicks off next spring.
“I thought it was time to get up off my butt and stop being lazy when Strictly’s not on,” he says, laughing. “People listen to me every Saturday night so this will give them a nice chance to put a face to the music.”
