Tom Skinner, the businessman and former Apprentice star set to appear on Strictly Come Dancing, has revealed a difficult weekend as his young son underwent surgery and his father fell ill. The 34-year-old shared an update on social media, thanking NHS staff for their support during his son Henry's procedure, though he did not disclose the reason for the operation.
Skinner wrote on Sunday: 'Whilst my brave little boy Henry undergoes his surgery this morning at hospital with Sinéad. I have taken my girls out for breakfast to keep my mind of worrying.' He added that he had spent the previous evening at the hospital with his father, who is unwell, praising medical staff for their dedication.
The Strictly contestant, who will appear on the BBC show from 20 September alongside Vicky Pattison and Dani Dyer, has been training intensively. He posted a video of himself running uphill with a 20kg weighted vest while pushing a buggy with his three children, captioning it: 'We are taking the training for Strictly Come Dancing seriously. Doing it for the pint drinking, kebab eating dads out there with the beer belly's.'
Skinner, who also sells mattresses, has swapped his usual fry-up for salmon and eggs as part of his preparation. His inclusion in the line-up sparked some criticism due to a past conviction for handling stolen goods in 2011, a matter he addressed in his book. He has previously stated that he does not earn 'loads of money' from TV and continues to deliver mattresses between filming.
