It is a regrettable fact that stars in the flesh rarely do justice to their retouched, airbrushed, Photo- shopped pictures but there are exceptions. Alesha Dixon is one of them. tall and slim – but not scary-skinny – with glossy ebony hair and skin as smooth as caramel, she is quite simply jaw-droppingly beautiful.

It has nothing to do with the hugely expensive dress she’s wearing – a strapless mini-crinoline number by Paul Carr that actually doesn’t really suit her – or with the expert make-up job; it’s just her.