“DON’T YOU think I am gorgeous by the way?” There’s no real way to answer that, but a smiling Vincent Simone doesn’t expect a reply – for him it’s a rhetorical question.

Well, that’s the power of TV to boost the ego I suppose. Such is the success of Strictly Come Dancing that the dancers have been sent spiralling into the spotlight.

They are now some of the nation’s best-known faces and for them there is no better job than performing in front of 14 million viewers each week on a BBC prime-time television show.

It has transformed the lives of Vincent, a professional for the last six series, and his partner Flavia Cacace.

“I love it. We get recognised all the time,” Vincent beams, his trademark cheek very much in evidence.

Their huge pulling power is evident at the dance session at WestQuay, Southampton where I’m chatting to the Strictly pair.

All three floors of the shopping centre are filled with fans cheering on a performance from their dance idols. And Vincent, with his childlike enthusiasm and cheeky Italian charm, is clearly loving all the attention.

The pair, who have been dancing together for 16 years, both grew up in Italy where they began training before they went to school.

Meeting at a Surrey dance school as teenagers, they went on to enjoy tremendous success as World Argentine Tango Show Champions and UK Ballroom Champions.

These competition days saw Vincent and Flavia as regulars at Bournemouth Pavilion, before starring in Strictly.

After taking part in the Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals theatre tour, which visited the BIC last year, the pair are breaking out on their own with their own specialist subject – theArgentine Tango.

They will be showing off their moves in Midnight Tango, which opens its UK tour at The Mayflower theatre this week.

Excited at the prospect, Flavia tells me: “It’s something we’ve wanted to do for a very long time, our own tour. We love ballroom and Latin, but there’s nothing quite like Argentinian Tango.

“There’s five couples on stage and it’s located in Buenos Aires. It’s all about coming to spend the evening with us.

“There’s lots happening, a storyline and the most exciting dancing. We’re very lucky that this is going to happen. It’s the biggest challenge we’ve ever taken on and we’re really looking forward to it.”

Buoyed from weeks of rehearsal, Vincent is less modest.

“You get to see me, which is the main thing of course, but there’s also a live band and the most fabulous Argentinian Tango. It’s going to be amazing, firstly because I’m involved and secondly because everyone else is so amazing – the singer, band, dancers, director, everything.”

The pair, who have partnered the likes of Rachel Stevens, Natalie Cassidy, Jimmy Tarbuck and Phil Daniels, have not been without scandal.

The dance partners were in a relationship until Flavia left Vincent for her celebrity partner Matt Di Angela in 2007. There were also rumours of a relationship with Jimi Mistry last year.

Vincent meanwhile had an affair with Strictly’s Russian star Kristina Rihanoff, but is now back with the mother of his child. But it doesn’t seem to have put them off the spotlight.

“I’ve been a star all my life. I think I’d make a fantastic film star.” And with that, Vincent’s off to meet his army of fans.

l Midnight Tango runs at The Mayflower from now until Saturday. For a full review please see Friday’s Echo.