Lack of ticket sales dooms Dancing with Stars show

Shane Cortese from Dancing with the Stars. Photo / Supplied

The stage version of the popular television series Dancing with the Stars has been canned, with the promoter blaming poor ticket sales.

Dance fans were promised an extravaganza that would have seen the winners, runners-up and three of the judges of Dancing with the Stars reunited for a one-off stage show at Vector Arena on August 27.

But the performers, who included infomercial queen Suzanne Paul, weatherman Tamati Coffey, former All Black Norm Hewitt, Olympian Beatrice Faumuina, beauty queen Lorraine Downes and actor Shane Cortese, were told on Wednesday that the show, under licence from BBC Worldwide, had been cancelled.

Cortese was not privy to the reasons for the cancellation but told the Herald he had been looking forward to the show, although he had not danced since his marriage to his dance partner, Nerida Jantti, last year.

"It was going to be grandiose and something really special for the fans of the show but there comes a point where something like that is backed by financiers that got cold feet at the end and the guys had to make a decision," said Cortese, who had been in training four times a week with Jantti for the past month in preparation.

"Upsetting as it is, it's one of the risks you take in being in this job. It's sad and frustrating but one door closes and something else opens straight away."

Promoter Tim Groenendaal said he was disappointed with ticket sales but he remained open to the possibility of the show running in the future.

"It's not in any way a reflection on the people who were going to be in the show. It's just really sad news for everyone including myself but it's one of those commercial decisions we have to make sometimes."

Mr Groenendaal said the stage version had been successful overseas but he hinted that the show being off-air locally probably had not helped.

"I also wonder if New Zealanders are being very careful with what they are spending their money on. There are various things like the World Cup coming up next year which I suspect is drawing on a lot of people's money, so it's totally understandable."

The show was to have stayed true to its television format, with judges Brendan Cole, Paul Mercurio and Alison Leonard providing comments and scores for the dancers.

Full refunds are available from the original point of purchase. The price of tickets bought over the phone or online will be automatically refunded to the original credit card.