'I'm a male stripper, it's more than thongs and grease and my wife loves it'

It was like any other night for Jordan Darrellas he took to the stage to strip and dance to a room full of screaming girls - that was until someone caught his eye.

Jordan, 40, is a Creative Director and dancer for Dreamboys, having been a part of the male strip show - which tours across the globe with over 600 shows a year - for 10 years. But it's more than just stripping, as Jordan exclusively tells the Mirror, "Our shows work on so many different levels. There's humour, moments when you get goosebumps, and it's all theatrical.

"Stripping has evolved a long way from the age of a thong and a greasy stripper. It's not derogatory to be a stripper. This is what it is now."

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Before joining the show in 2015 and stepping into the role of a choreographer during his second year, he was a professional dancer for the likes of Rita Ora, Little Mix, Take That and Jess Glynne. He's also starred in the Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston musicals on the West End, and performed on TV shows such as The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent.

But it was his Dreamboys gig that changed his life for ever. It was during a performance in Plymouth seven years ago that Jordan met his fiancée, Shannon Lawson, who he already sweetly refers to as his wife.

Recalling their awkward first meeting, he said: "We do a big performance; there are rules and regulations that we have to follow, and during the show, it's interactive, so the cast gets audience members and brings them on stage. Then they get to be an experience and be part of the show.

"So one of the boys got Shannon on stage. I walked on stage to do my performance, and I saw her. It was all silent and kind of atmospheric. My solo performance was kind of serious with mood lighting and a darker, burlesque vibe. But when I saw her, I made a silly little noise.

"The audience laughed, and she laughed. They could obviously see that that character went straight out of my body. There was chemistry there, and the audience picked up on that straight away. So it turned into more of a comedic routine.

"I think in that moment, she had the control, because she had all the power, she still does today. I made such a high-pitched wimper because I thought she was beautiful - I didn't expect that."

Jordan explained that it's "all random" who is brought up on stage during the shows, and notes that the Dreamboy who picked Shannon still takes credit for their match today.

But despite Jordan and Shannon's instant connection, it wasn't until a few weeks later that they got in touch. "Shannon messaged me on social media, and I invited her to London for a Christmassy day - and she never left. We've been together ever since," Jordan recalls.

The couple lived in London for a few years before moving to Plymouth and welcomed their four-year-old son, Ruben. They are now engaged and are expecting their second child together, a baby girl, in a matter of weeks.

"Shannon has the title of my wife, it's just not written down yet," Jordan added. So what's it like being in a relationship with a male stripper?

Jordan shares an insight, "As a partner, she's very hands-on, literally. Because I create the shows, as we have a brand new one every year, she helps me find the music, I do moves on her, and she goes, 'Not that, it's rubbish'. She thoroughly helps me understand what a woman wants or what looks good from a woman's perspective.

"And she is an audience member; she watches all the shows as well. I play her all the music that I edit for the show before anyone else, and she tells me if a song doesn't make sense or if she doesn't like a song."

However, travelling across the globe during the Dreamboys' world tour can come with its challenges. "It's hard to be away from my family, being on the road and touring. It's extremely hard, and it's tiring because our shows are so physical.

"But coming home to my family, it preps me up and gives me a new lease of energy."

And what about when it comes to your partner performing in front of hundreds of screaming girls every night? "Shannon is chill," Jordan shares.

"It's a performance and it's choreographed down to the second. Everywhere we look, every step we walk is choreographed. She's experienced both sides of what it is, from an audience member who didn't know me, to the production as she helps me create the show.

"It's like going to watch a West End musical." With a cheeky laugh, Jordan adds, "The only difference is that all of us have rippling muscles, abs, and take off some of our clothes.

"It's all in good humour, it's all very inclusive, and it's just a great night out. Shannon comes, she's brought her sister, her mum or friends, and they come, let their hair down and have a great night like everyone else."

But what makes a Dreamboy? Jordan says it's about "having a personality", "being a gentleman", and having "confidence". He adds, "All our Dreamboys have a unique, superpower quality that makes them individual.

"The calibre of the choreography that these boys perform is incredible. It's extremely high, and they're all professional dancers who perform in a strip show."

"It's so inclusive, and it's all about the experience. We all have a good time together, the Dreamboys and the audience."

You can find out more about the Dreamboys on their website or book ticketsfor any upcoming 2025 shows.