And then there were eight.

The scaled down version of Wales' favourite choir/boyband ended its Christmas UK tour in front of a home audience in Cardiff and opinion was divided as to whether the new incarnation of the group was preferable to the previous one.

Personally I felt that the smaller conductorless combination worked well though there was a feeling that eight was too large a number for the intimate group that they have now become. At times they still seemed to see themselves as a choir.

The programme was largely made up of Christmas-related music in Welsh (a highlight of the evening was an impeccable rendition of one of the greatest carols in any language - Hwyangerdd Mair) and in English. They were excellently accompanied for much of their programme by keyboard and string quartet , together with backing tracks.

Choirboy Jack Topping made several appearances during the evening, occasionally combining with the men. His nerveless performance was impressive, particularly in the ubiquitous Walking in the air.

We also had the glitz that they do so well with numbers such as Just help yourself and the song that helped them win the BBC Last Choir Standing competition – All by yourself. However the closing sequence of Christmas standards such as Away in a manger and O Holy Night, in which they were joined on stage by a brass band, and with audience participation, was misjudged, and was a weak conclusion with little of the desired festive cheer.