Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has revealed that his father stabbed him in the leg and stomach during a violent incident on Boxing Day when he was growing up, an attack that required several days in hospital.
The disclosure came during an appearance on ITV's Life Stories with Kate Garraway, where the dancer spoke openly about his troubled upbringing in a household dominated by his father's alcoholism.
Attack and hospitalisation
Recounting the assault, Du Beke said: "I got stabbed in the leg and in the stomach because of a fight on Boxing Day. 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."
"And 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," he continued.
Despite the severity of his injuries, a young Du Beke, eager to return to the dance studio, hid the true cause of his wounds from his dancing partners, telling them he had "pulled a hamstring".
Father's opposition to dancing
During the episode, Du Beke's sister Veronica Richards disclosed that their father "hated" Anton's love of dancing. "My Dad was not so impressed with Anton dancing, he used to call him gay," she said.
"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."
Du Beke described his father as an "alcoholic" throughout his and his sister's childhood, resulting in a violent household. "You've got an alcoholic father and a situation where, if you're in the house and he's drinking, you end up with the fights and stuff. You'd move room to get away from it and he'd follow you in and then the violence starts," he said.
First time speaking out
The dancer acknowledged that he had hidden much of the disturbing reality about his relationship with his father from even his nearest and dearest, describing speaking about it now as the "first time I've mentioned it out loud".
"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?" he explained. "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'!"
Du Beke, his sister and their younger brother Stephen were raised by their parents, Hungarian father Antal Xavier Beke and Spanish mother Ascension 'Conchita' Lema, in a council property on an estate in Sevenoaks, Kent. Finances were tight, with Conchita working two jobs to support the household, which eventually led Du Beke to leave education so he could fund his dance training and distance himself from his father.
Upon leaving home, he severed all contact with his father, and his parents subsequently divorced. When his father passed away in 2001, Du Beke decided against attending the funeral.
He said: "I hate the thought that anything like that defines you. I hate 'woe is me'. I never sought any sense of encouragement from him, my motivation wasn't because of him, it was because I wanted to do it."
"I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me because everything was about moving forwards. And I felt sorry for my Mum, that was the thing. It was her husband and she's working two jobs, she worked every day of her life, and he chose to drink and be violent. It's just life, you just carry on."
Family tributes and career
Refusing to harbour resentment about his childhood, Du Beke became emotional as he paid tribute to his mother. "She's amazing and it makes me sad," he said. "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 lesson."
When questioned whether his father's treatment has influenced his own parenting style, Du Beke revealed he doesn't spare his father's behaviour any thought. He said: "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."
The programme also explores Du Beke's rise to prominence following his partnership with leading ballroom dancer Erin Boag in the late 1990s, with the professional duo subsequently reaching the World Championships finals on three separate occasions.
Du Beke's wife Hannah and their twins, George and Henrietta, also appear briefly in the episode. Hannah describes her husband as the "kindest, gentlest, most fun individual you are ever likely to meet," while the children share a heartfelt message to their father, saying: "Hi Daddy, we really love you and we like your dancing a lot."
