AS Jane McDonald approaches the 20th anniversary of The Cruise - the BBC docu-soap that effectively launched her career no one could ever accuse her of ‘coasting’.

In fact judging by Sunday night’s storming performance at Bournemouth Pavilion it is clear the hard-working star is at the pinnacle of her career and loving every moment.

Such was the success of last year’s Making Memories tour she added 14 more dates and anyone lucky enough to get a tickets for her Southampton Mayflower show on Sunday July 16 is in for an absolute treat!

Her vocals at 54 are astounding – the best they have ever been, delivered with all the power, passion and might of a true diva. She received standing ovation after standing ovation countless times throughout the show.

But what makes Jane so very special is that she remains the same old down to earth Wakefield lass who has never forgotten her roots. One moment she had the audience dabbing tears from their eyes as she sang about absent friends the next she’d have us in stitches with her self-deprecating humour delivered with the skill of a true comedian.

It is a real joy when the years of hard graft- including the years playing the notoriously tough northern working men’s clubs, countless tours and TV shows such as the decade on Loose Women, all manifest themselves in such a slick, perfectly formed show.

A couple of dress sizes smaller after her stint on the TV show Sugar Free Farm she looked sensational in her numerous costume changes starting with a glamorous black and gold sequinned, fish-tail gown and opening the show with a rousing version of ‘With a little help from My Friends’.

In a show that included tracks from her forthcoming self-penned album ‘Hold the Covers Back’ she paid tribute to her dad who had been her roadie for 15 years with ‘I’ll Be There’. There was a song for her fans too ‘The Singer of Your Song’ as she thanked them saying there is no greater joy than to be able to tour and sing.