Image source, PA Media

As we prepare for Strictly’s annual getaway to its second home, let’s take a look at what makes the Blackpool Tower Ballroom so enchanting.

Normally the series is set at studios in Elstree, Hertfordshire, but once a year since 2004 it packs up its bags and heads north.

The ballroom, dating from 1894, is full of oddities, like the inscription above the stage: “Give me a speech, I will delight your ear” – a nod to Venus and Adonis by Shakespeare.

Blackpool’s dance floor is gigantic, around nine times the size of Elstree’s, so our celebrities will definitely be getting their workout in.

And in case you’re curious, those big crystal chandeliers?

They can be lowered to the ground and take over a week to clean. That’s dedication!