23 September 2023 , 16:00
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Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has revealed that at the age of 21 his dedication to become a professional dancer led him to work at a bakery in the early hours of the morning - to fund his career.
The 57 year old star, who has been on the show as a professional dancer since 2004 before becoming a judge in 2021, quipped that he was a "baker by day, dancer by night." Anton, who is a father to twins, said that he would start work at the bakery at 3am and would then fulfill his committment to dance of an evening.
Reflecting on his life as a 21 year old budding dancer, he said: "I would have been dancing, competing, practising and flying about trying to get better, that was my life really. I have literally been dancing every day of my life and also at 21 I think I was working in a bakery. I would have started work at the bakery at three o'clock in the morning, and then dancing at night and competing at weekends. Baker by day, dancer by night!"
Anton Du Beke is back on the dance floor (PA)Speaking of his delight over the series' return, Anton said: "I tell you what, I am naturally, brilliantly excited about the whole thing, I can't wait. For me it's just a magical time of year when Strictly returns to our screens. It always starts in the summer and goes into the autumn and winter. It's just brilliant."
He went to say: "The excitement about Strictly Come Dancing coming back with all the celebrities and just being in the building with everybody milling around, delighted and happy and joyous and all the brilliant teams back together. It's so wonderfully exciting."
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But he confessed that being a judge comes with its own downside as he is now in a position to end someone's time on the show. He added: "The biggest challenge is eliminating somebody and sometimes it’s tighter than you'd want it to be, but that's the job and that's what I’m there for, so that is the most challenging part. Trying to be encouraging, trying to help people - that's the fun part."
But he recalls that his biggest joy is being part of the BBC show week on week. He added: "The biggest joy is being part of it and turning up every week. It's a real surprise and a fortune that I've been a part of the show since the beginning, and there’s only Craig, Tess and I left from the very first series."
He then said: "To have been part of a show that is part of the fabric of British consciousness – and the world’s, it’s such a global show - is sort of overwhelming, if I think about it too deeply it blows my mind. To be a part of that since the beginning, I feel massive pride. I love it now as much as I did then and I'm delighted about that as well."
Throughout his time on the show, Anton says that the one couple that stood out for him was Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez from the last year's show. He continued: "Helen and Gorka’s couples choice dance to Mein Herr and Hamza did some numbers that were staggering, but for pure dancing and precision Helen’s was the standout moment from last year for me."
Historically, the show would take a trip to Blackpool, which holds its own importance in the world of ballroom. But for a while that wasn't an option for contestants. But now that it's back Anton said: "Oh wasn't it brilliant?! It's such a massive production and we all go up to Blackpool and then rig it all up and it takes ten days, I mean it’s a huge thing, but it's so worth it! It's a wonderful moment in the series as well, but it means so much more than just going to Blackpool, we're going for the tower ballroom which is such an iconic venue."