THE penultimate night of his UK tour and Michael Ball is in fine form - at the top of his game.

He has left behind his supersized, loveable Edna Turnblad of Hairspray and emerged slim, fit and “frisky”, ready to charm and delight his adoring fans.

It proves to be an immaculate, flawless performance. Ball has never sounded better and no expense has been spared with a brilliant 20-piece ensemble of musicians and singers.

The first half of the show focused on the latest album ‘Heroes’ – a collection of romantic, late-night listening tunes by artists Ball says inspired him in his youth. Songs like the melodic, poetic Play Me by Neil Diamond and Misty by Johnny Mathis alongside the rousing Tom Jones ballad I’ll Never Fall in love Again were so good I was in no hurry for him to move on to his usual crowd-pleasing West End hits. Amusingly it was his exciting rendition of Tony Christie’s Avenues and Alleyways that prompted his fans to rush to the stage to dance!

There was a taste of his next musical project – a couple of mashed up songs from the dark, operatic Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd in which the usually chirpy, charismatic entertainer will play the serial killer barber in Chichester in the autumn.

Of course there was a mix of the traditional showstoppers including Sunset Boulevard, Aspects of Love and Les Miserables- always guaranteed to send tingles up your spine.

But the night proved Ball can make any song his own - even Stevie Wonder’s For Once in My Life was transformed into a smoochy, lounge bar classic.

More than 25 years since he made his West End debut as Marius he looks fresh, enthusiastic and good for at least another 25.