It was the night, announced home-grown sports star Austin Healy, when he could be forgotten as a rugby player.

And it wasn’t just for sight of him filling a see-through shirts and eye-wateringly tight trousers.

Out of the stars of cult BBC show Strictly in a dance off especially for Liverpool Healy took home the champion’s glitterball.

The quicksteps, rumbas, waltzes and jives were - at times - breath-taking, especially when the pros took to the floor. But it was that old-fashioned sense of spectacle that most lifted the Strictly show out of the ordinary.

Gamely donning the sequins was last series winner Chris Hollins, 2006 winner Mark Ramprakash, lovebirds Ali Bastion and Brian Fortuna, plus Natalie Cassidy, Ricky Groves, Zoe Lucker and Kelly Brook. Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and, returning for the first time since she was sacked, Arlene fronted the judge’s panel.

The voting was awash with 10s, extravagant insults, and though heavily scripted and groaning with innuendo, for the most part enjoyable.

The arena was sumptuously decorated as glowing art deco dance hall, replete with glitterballs and chandeliers and a live band.

Best movers of the night? Mark Ramprakash’s smouldering tango to a stirring rendition of Goldeneye. “I for one am glad to have Arlene back on the judging panel,” he said slightly controversially and she beamed happily.

Lovebirds Ali Bastion and Brian Fortuna turned in a sublime Viennese waltz, unhindered by a sickly blue chiffon confection.