He is one of the most beloved stars on Strictly Come Dancing.
And Anton Du Beke has only gone from strength to strength since he joined the BBC One dance competition back in 2004. In 2021, bosses elevated the long-serving professional dancer to the judging panel, replacing Bruno Tonioli.
Now, firmly settled into his new role, Anton regularly delights viewers with his expert opinions and much-needed advice for the celebrity contestants taking part. He is joined by Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel-Horwood.
READ MORE: Strictly stars hit with another romantic blow as pros announce break up after two years
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But it hasn’t always been plain sailing for the TV favourite. As the dad-of-two celebrates his 58th birthday with a bang, Daily Star has taken a deep dive inside his tragic childhood.
Violent dad
(Image: ITV)
Born to a Spanish mother and a Hungarian father on a council estate in Sevenoaks, the dancer quickly discovered a passion for dancing after picking his sister up from a local studio. Although his mother supported his new hobby, his father “took a turn” against Du Beke as alcoholism gripped him.
His sister Veronica recalled that her father hated Anton’s passion for dancing after he learnt that there were only four boys and 120 girls in his local dance school. In an emotional interview with Kate Garraway on her ITV show Life Stories, they recalled what it was like growing up in an abusive household.
His sister explained: “My Dad was not so impressed with Anton dancing, he used to call him gay. He took a turn against Anton. My dad’s drinking affected his mood, he wasn’t a nice person when he was drunk. He was mean.”
(Image: BBC)
Anton told the GMB star that his father’s violence was only towards him, rather than his mother Conchita or sister Veronica because he was a “young man”.
He explained: “The alcoholism and the violence… [it was] towards me, because I was a boy, a young man I suppose. You’ve got an alcoholic father and a situation where if you’re in the house [and he’s] drinking then you end up with the fights and stuff.
“You’d move rooms to get away from all of it and then he follows you in and the next thing you know the violence starts and then it came to a head one evening.”
‘Stabbing’
(Image: PA)
The brave dancer later opened up about one terrifying ordeal in which his father viciously attacked him, resulting in a three-night hospital stay. Growing emotional in his interview with Garraway, he recalled the traumatic ordeal.
“I got stabbed in the leg and in the stomach because of a fight on Boxing Day,” he confessed. “It was idiotic, an idiotic situation. I remember walking out of the house to walk up to the hospital, holding my leg, and a police car drove past and I waved him down.
“I said, ‘He’s in there with a knife’. Anyway, they carted him off and I ended up in hospital for three or four days.” Anton went on to add that he had never spoken about what happened before, and felt a sense of shame about the incident at the time.
(Image: PA)
The TV star added: “My only concern was getting back into the studio and dancing – and the embarrassment of it really. I’d said I’d pulled a hamstring.
“I’m sure my friends and family don’t even know. It’s the first time I’ve mentioned it out loud. What’s to be gained from talking about it all? I can’t really believe I’m talking to you about this, I should have glossed over it and said, ‘It was all marvellous dear’.”
Financial woes
(Image: ITV)
The family faced financial issues throughout Anton’s childhood, which saw Anton’s mother take on a second job working nights in a nursing home. Anton then left school with no qualifications to work, so he could fund his dance classes and avoid his father.
Anton explained how his mother helped pay for his dance classes until he left school. He went on: “She funded everything. I had nothing. I left school – I didn’t take a single exam.
“No academic qualifications whatsoever. The mantra in our house was get a job and work. Mum would prop me up financially, I’d turn up with a cheque for my [dance] lesson.”
(Image: BBC / Guy Levy)
After his parents divorced, Du Beke cut all contact with his father Antal and didn’t attend his funeral when he died in 2001. The pro dancer admitted he didn’t show any emotion when he heard the news, but felt sorry for his mother.
He told Saga: “You can’t feel anything if you don’t have a relationship. Crack on, is the way I think. Don’t look back, look forward.”
Name change
(Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)
Years later, Anton admitted his dad’s violence towards him was the reason he legally changed his name from Tony Beke to Anton Du Beke. He told Kate Garraway: “I wanted a new start and a new beginning and I wanted to leave what went before behind and then move on.
“I just wanted to be me. I started with Anton Du Beke and I went from there really.” When Kate asked if his childhood affected how he behaves as a parent, he insisted he never dwells on how his father treated him.
Anton explained he doesn’t give his late father “a moment’s thought.” He added: “If I need a role model of how to be a great father, I look to my father-in-law. What a guy. What a man. That’s all you need.”
Ballroom champion
(Image: BBC)
After leaving school at 16, Anton decided to follow his dreams and pursued a career in dance, with his mother’s support. He went on to specialise in ballroom later that year, and found a dance partner in Erin Boag, who he met in 1997.
The pair went on to win the New Zealand Championships in 1998 and 1999. They became professional dancers in 2002, winning competitions including the DTA Classic in Brighton in 2003.
And in 2004, Anton signed up for Strictly Come Dancing and quickly became a fan favourite, despite never lifting the Glitterball trophy. The star was still living with his mother when he signed up for the BBC dance competition who was thrilled with his achievements.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
