Modern setting is Strictly sizzling for tango stars heading to Blackpool

They visited the Grand Theatre in summer 2016 with show The Last Tango - which was meant to be their final stage show, after 20 years dancing together.

But against their best intentions, the duo couldn’t resist teaming up once more to create their fourth show Tango Moderno, which opens at the Grand Theatre on Tuesday.

Flavia said: “We’d had six or seven years of touring, we were pretty definite The Last Tango would be just that.

“We’d had a six-month break when our producer approached us again and asked if we wanted to do another.

“We’d recovered mentally and physically enough to do another. But almost as soon as we started choreography, we were saying ‘This is the last one’.

“There’s so much pressure. We feel incredibly privileged but that maybe we’re pushing our luck.

“We don’t want to do something we are not proud of. Last year’s was our third show, that’s an incredible achievement and here we are trying for a fourth.

“Fingers crossed we’ve done something people will enjoy.”

After their previous shows explored tango - with a dash of ballroom and Latin - through the 20th Century, this time they’re bringing the genre up to date.

“Every year, we try to make the show different; a different story line, different characters, different music,” Flavia added. “This time we wanted to create something set in modern times, the previous shows have been the 20s, 30s and 50s, so this time it’s in an urban city.”

While many of Strictly Come Dancing’s professional stars have taken their skills on the road, two of Vincent and Flavia’s previous three productions have won nominations for Olivier Awards.

And they’re fiercely proud of creating shows which are true theatrical productions, working with some of the best in the business.

“Even from the first time us doing a show was mentioned, we didn’t ever want to do the typical Strictly Come Dancing dance show,” Flavia said. “We wanted to do our own show.

“We are eternally grateful that the audience came because of Strictly. It gave us the opportunity [to do a show] but rather than follow the mainstream, we did Argentine tango set in quite a rough bar.

“When we were first approached about a show, we had a good team of theatre people, from writing to set design, to musical director. Using theatre people really helped us take a completely individual route.”

· Tango Moderno, Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Tuesday to Saturday, October 28. Call 01253 290190 to book.