Dance act Diversity cannot believe they are still 'living the dream' as they sell out 80-date tour
Perri Kiely, Jordan Banjo and Ashley Banjo speak to Granada Reports Entertainment Correspondent Caroline Whitmore
Dance troupe Diversity say they cannot believe they are still 'living the dream' 13 years on from winning Britain’s Got Talent.
The 15-strong group took the nation by storm when they won the third series of the talent show in 2009, beating singer Susan Boyle to the top spot.
Since then they have sold out nine UK and Irish tours, sold more than 600,000 tickets, and taken part in countless television and live performances.
And, with their popularity showing no sign of slowing down, Diversity have added 10 extra dates to their 'Connected' 2022 tour - meaning they will now be performing 78 shows, their biggest ever tour to date.
The tour will now visit 33 towns and cities across the UK and Ireland over four months which began on 17 March and will end 19 June.
Perri Kiely, who was just 13 when he shot to fame, said: “It’s kind of whizzed by, it’s been crazy, we’re in this whirlwind but it’s nuts to say we’re 13 years on, on an 80-date tour, which is absolutely ridiculous.
"They’re sold out every day and you’re getting this crazy response from the audience and we’re still living the dream, it’s so cool."
Diversity will be in Liverpool at the Philharmonic on Friday 29 April and Saturday 30 April, before moving on to Manchester's Opera House in May.
The group repeat their BAFTA-winning 2021 Black Lives Matter performance, each night of the tour, which founding member Ashley Banjo says is a "very special moment".
"It just feels incredible to be back out [on tour]," Ashley said. "We’re out of lockdown, we’re sort of past all that madness now, we’re here on an 80 day tour, which just feels incredible.
"We do that performance and talk a lot about what happened [at Britain’s Got Talent 2021] during the show and honestly it’s goosebumps every night, it’s standing ovations, the energy and the love from the crowd, it just feels like a really special moment."
Ashley and brother Jordan are passionate about their storytelling on stage and have now put pen to paper to release their first children’s book 'Fly High Crew'.
The book champions inclusivity, the importance of teamwork, realising your dreams and is centralised by Ashley and Jordan’s sibling relationship and dynamic.
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