A homecoming worth waiting for – Southampton’s very own Strictly Come Dancing star dazzled on the Mayflower Theatre stage. Strictly professionals and real-life partners Kai Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova brought glitz and glamour to Southampton on Sunday night. The Mayflower was packed with adoring Strictly fans (and their partners who, as Kai said, would probably rather be watching the Euros) to see the dynamic duo close their Behind the Magic tour in the city.
Widdrington, who hails from Chandler’s Ford, has l ong dreamt of performing on the stage of his hometown . And it proved to be an emotional night for him as he thanked his family and former Toynbee School teachers, all of whom were in the audience. I expected nothing short of powerful, passionate, and entertaining – and that is what the pair delivered in abundance.
(Image: Terry Blackburn) I will start off by saying this – Kai’s hips deserve more airtime on Strictly. The opening number was an energetic display of dance and showbusiness – and serious hip action. He is under-utilised in that department.
Throughout the show I thought Nadiya was electric on the dancefloor. Watching her perform on TV certainly does not do her justice, you can’t help but watch her. The chemistry between the pair is undeniable – when dancing and offering well-timed quips to the audience between sections, both putting their presenting skills to the test.
I am certain that Kai is destined for a long and successful career on .