Strictly Come Dancing favourites Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara launch A Christmas To Remember tour at Portsmouth Guildhall | Big Interview

The ultimate yuletide jukebox show, it promises to be full of merry-making for all the family, as the show’s fabulous cast create tidings and joy performing festive feasts from the Golden Age of Hollywood to Disney Christmas crackers – and the tour is kicking off here in Portsmouth at The Guildhall on November 25. Much-loved dance stars Aljaž and Janette will be joined by an incredible cast of dancers and singers as they combine lavish costumes and fantastic sets with everybody’s favourite Christmas hits.

Featuring an assortment of festive favourites, pop classics, some carols and some crooners, there really is something for everyone. They will be dancing, singing and performing magical dance routines in their own unique winter wonderland. After taking two shows based on their favourite films on tour, the dancing duo, who married in 2017, thought it was time for something different.

‘A big factor was the timing, obviously,’ says Aljaž, ‘but Janette and I are both massive fans of Christmas, we're both big family people, we both miss our families because we live away from home for so long and we can't wait every year to spend time with them and to celebrate the holiday that we like the most.’

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Slovenia vs Florida

Aljaž is from Slovenia, while Janette’s family are of Cuban heritage and she grew up in Florida, but the two have made the UK their shared home.

‘It’s about showing people how we celebrate Christmas in Slovenia and Miami,’ he continues, ‘what Christmas means to us, our favourite Christmas songs, our favourite Christmas traditions, our favourite foods, and just a massive celebration of a holiday that means so much to everyone.’

And with their family backgrounds originating thousands of miles apart, their respective festive family traditions are unsurprisingly also rather different. As Janette explains: ‘We're definitely going to be showcasing the difference between Slovenia and Miami – needless to say Slovenia is such a beautiful country, a beautiful place, and it really does feel like a winter wonderland when you're there for Christmas time. Aljaž’s family is quite traditional, and they like a small, intimate Christmas dinner over a fire. Aljaž's mum is a master chef in my eyes, so the food we eat on the day is incredible. And especially for us, we have our nieces – Aljaž's sister has two beautiful little girls – who we get to spoil and spend time with at Christmas.

‘Then on the opposite end when we go to Miami it's really warm, we're by the beach, my family loves to dance and any reason to have a big party... We play Christmas games, we've always got people coming around to the house, friends of friends, so it's a very different Christmas, but nonetheless still just as special and just as lovely and fuzzy as the one in Slovenia. The fact you can have an amazing meal with nice food and dance and celebrate, but there’s also the celebration of Nativity and the real meaning of Christmas, and we want to include all of that in the show.’

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Typically, the couple alternate between Slovenia and America at Christmas time

‘It’s just to make it fair on family,’ says Aljaž, ‘we're both so close to each of our families, and we've been together for almost 12 years now, so it's been a quite few Christmases in each place.’

With the tour wrapping up on December 18 in Newcastle, where will they be jetting off to this year?

‘This year we're going to have a fiesta in Miami!’

However during the pandemic they were unable to visit either family.

‘That was probably one of the hardest things,’ says Aljaž. ‘Because we both live away from home, that time of the year is the only time of year we don't tour or work on a daily basis, where we don’t need to be present here in the UK. Not having that chance, or having the option (to get away) was heartbreaking, really, especially when you start having your nieces and little ones in your family. The homesickness becomes real, at least that's the case for me. Not watching them grow up is a tough one, but I know that people went through so many harder things – people lost their loved ones. It was tough to not be with our families, but there were people going through much more serious things.’

It Takes Two

This tour is a little shorter than previous jaunts – 15 performances at 13 venues – mostly because of Janette’s current role as co-host of It Takes Two, the Monday-to-Friday companion show to Strictly.

‘Unfortunately I'm still doing It Takes Two,’ Janette says, but then checks herself, ‘well, not unfortunately, that's not the word to use, I love doing it! But because of that we can't get to as many venues as Aljaž and I would have wanted, but we've tried to squeeze in as many dates as we possibly could and to get to as many different parts of the country as possible. Hopefully everyone can come out and get to one of them, because it means a lot to us to share the message of love and joy and kindness on Christmas.’

After eight years as one of the professionals Janette took over from Zoe Ball on It Takes Two in 2021, leading the Wednesday and Thursday editions. The tour is putting in four shows a week, plus the two days for Janette on It Takes Two, and then one day off.

She recalls the planning process for the tour: ‘I was laughing because when we set out the first schedule, the show runners went: “Right, we'll try and get shows in on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and then we'll be dark on Wednesdays and Thursdays so Janette can do It Takes Two, and then we'll pick it up again”. I kind of had to wave my hand up and go: “Guys, I still need a day off!” It was tough to squeeze it all in, but I think we've done a good job in picking venues all over the UK so that if you're not right there you can get to us with a little bit of a drive.’

This year’s Strictly

Talk soon turns to this year’s Strictly and this year’s contestants. At that point former footballer Tony Adams was still defying the odds and remained in the competition despite regularly propping up the leader board. However, he was in the bottom two of last week’s show and withdrew from the dance-off, and therefore the show, due to injury.

‘I love Tony,’ Janette enthuses. ‘The judges have said it themselves – someone like Tony is what Strictly is all about, and it's incredible to watch. He's obviously gone through some tough few years, especially with his rehabilitation, and he's gone out there and been vulnerable and been honest and thrown himself into it fully. It makes me so proud to be part of Strictly Come Dancing when I see people like Tony Adams really lose their inhibitions and go for it.’

Meanwhile wildlife cameraman and TV presenter Hamza Yassin has proved to be one of this year’s surprise packages – racking up the 10s with pro partner Jowita Przystał.

‘He can really dance!’ says Janette. ‘Salsa is one of my favourite dances, and that salsa that he danced with Jowita,’ they scored 39 in week five, ‘I was screaming at the television in joy and shock and excitement all at the same time, it was brilliant. I think that's why this series is incredible to watch – every single celeb is so good and is bringing something completely different to the table every single week. It's going to be one of those years where we're going to have different people at the top and the bottom of the leader board every single weekend. Dance offs are going to be interesting – it's a year to really vote for your favourites if you want to keep them in – it's going to be anyone's game this year.’

This year is also Aljaž’s first year since 2013 where he’s not a Strictly pro dancer. In his first year he won the coveted Glitter Ball when partnered with Abby Clancy. It was his choice not to be considered for this year’s show, but as much as you can take the dancer out of Strictly, it’s tough to take Strictly out of the dancer...

‘I was part of Strictly for nine years,’ he says. ‘In my head I was probably going to be part of Strictly forever – it is such a massive part of my career, and it's an amazing show to be part of. This year has been a little bit different, I've spent loads of time in Slovenia with my family – I gave myself that little task to spend time with my nieces and family – I haven't spent as much time at home in about 15 years, really, so it was a nice luxury to have. But I have been following the show religiously and the dances – I have to say the new professionals are absolutely amazing. I went to watch the show for the first time live this last weekend for the 100th anniversary of the BBC. It was a beautiful feeling being back in the studio. I'm always going to be a number one fan of Strictly. I had some beautiful moments on that floor and I'm always grateful and appreciative for all of them.’

With the tour pending, he has also had to keep himself in shape. ‘I can't totally let myself go. But it is a Christmas show, and part of the festivities is food, so I have been doing some, let's say method acting...’ he laughs.

And for his future? ‘I took this time, until Christmas and new year to just press the reset button. Covid more than anything made me realise how important family and your loved ones are. As soon as I feel like I have done that, I will get back to putting my head down and ploughing forward. It's not like I've been twiddling my thumbs, but we'll see what next year brings...’

Aljaž and Janette: A Christmas To Remember is at Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday, November 25. Doors 7pm. Tickets £31-£65.50. Go to portsmouthguildhall.org.uk.