Michael Ball and Alfie Boe share a "little hand clap" before going on stage.

The duo are preparing to hit the road again in March in support of their sixth album, 'Together At Home', and they admitted there are certain rituals they have to follow before each concert.

Asked about their pre-show superstitions, Michael recently told heat magazine: "Dressing in a certain order, no one is allowed to whistle, and the last thing our guy who looks after us, Andrew, says to me is, 'Are your flies done up? Are you smelling nice for the ladies and gentlemen?'

"Alfie and I also do something before we go on stage."

Alfie explained: "We have a little hand clap."

Michael added: "A little special moment to bond us."

The two singers are determined everything is equal between them and neither star dominates their partnership.

Michael said: "Everything's really 50/50. If there's something that I don't want to do, I would say that. And similarly with Alf.

"We both have to be comfortable with what we're going to be doing.

"And we have so much material to choose from, and so many things we know we love doing, it's got easier and easier."

Alfie added: "It's very important to get every song right, especially on an album.

"As Michael says, we have to be 100% confident. If one of us isn't, then we won't do it."

However, Michael, 62, admitted there was one musical moment he had to fight hard for because of his 51-year-old collaborator's resistance.

He said: "I can't tell you how hard it was to finally convince him to do 'Reach' by S Club in concert."

Alfie insisted: "It has nothing to do with S Club, they're very talented people. But that song, I just didn't think it would work…

"It was funny, there was a comic element. I rose to the occasion."

Michael said: "It was fabulous!"