I HAD little idea what to expect from Wednesday's show but it was clear this was a family reunion. Almost all of the crowd were repeat offenders.

“Are you ready to be entertained?” came a voice from off stage. Tonight John Barrowman was leaning on an open door.

The show opened with four dancers and a seven-piece band launching into Olly Murs’ Wrapped Up. The set list defied reason, ranging from Cole Porter to The Doobie Brothers, from Quando Quando to Xanadu, yet strangely it worked.

This was camper than a pyjama party at Liza Minnelli’s house watching box sets of Sex In The City but it was so much fun. We were invited into his life, friends and family with outrageous storytelling. This charming punctuation with slides and videos made us feel part of a personal evening, not merely spectators.The second half had Barrowman's octogenarian parents dancing on stage and stealing the show with one-liners.

Eurovision looked like a bikers' rally in comparison. This show had more key changes than a locksmith in the middle of a crime-wave but all of these features made the night so enjoyable.

Not many performers can have the Barbican on its feet in a bling kilt singing Take The High Road and then take on the Daleks but Barrowman is, as they say in the world of theatre, a triple threat. He can sing, dance and act but he has an extra threat too: his true talent is to challenge bigotry and intolerance.

He is so much more than a kiss at an opening ceremony or a poster boy for "Whovians". He is a phenomenal spokesman who uses his charm and skill to break down barriers. His MBE could stand for Mission to Bring Equality.