Stacey Dooley has been told she is "running a dictatorship" in her relationship with Kevin Clifton. The documentary maker met professional dancer Kevin when they performed together on Strictly Come Dancing in 2018.
Four months after lifting the prestigious Glitterball trophy, they confirmed they were dating and in 2023, the pair became parents for the first time to their daughter Minnie.
Opening up about home life
Opening up about their living arrangements on The Romesh Ranganathan Show, the 39-year-old said Kevin has little say when it comes to decisions about their "old beautiful" home in Liverpool.
"I love my house and I feel like I'm sort of really house proud, I love doing the house up and then it gets trashed and then I get the hump," she shared.
After asking Romesh if he had any say in his own home, he said he did sometimes, while Stacey admitted Kevin didn't.
'All the power'
"I don't want Kev to offer any opinions whatsoever, which is really healthy isn't it?," she laughed.
In response, the podcast host said: "Listen, you're running a dictatorship," to which she said she had "all the power".
Intrigued to know more, Romesh asked Stacey to act out a scenario in which he pretended to be Kevin approaching her with an idea for the house.
She joked: "I appreciate your input, I think it'll work in your wardrobe," before describing the situation as "coercive".
House pride and future plans
"I am so highly strung about the house, that's actually not a nice trait but it is how it is," she added.
Sharing more about their home, she added on the podcast: "I live in Liverpool and I've basically got this beautiful old house and I really feel the business in it."
"You know when you go to view a house and you're like, 'There's not a world where I'd be able to afford this', but then you can, but only because I'm up North," she continued.
Stacey has shared further insights into her relationship with Kevin over the years. In 2023, she said she was reluctant to marry her partner because of his past divorces.
Speaking to The Sun, she said: "Marriage has never been massively important to me.
"Also, it's well documented that Kev's done it a couple of times before. So, you do have to bear that in mind, coming down the aisle like, 'Hello everyone, I know what you're all thinking.' It's just never been something I've dreamt about," she continued.
While marriage may not be on the cards, she has praised Kevin's parenting skills, revealing that having their daughter has made her love him even more.
"I don't want to sound too gushing or soppy, but I couldn't have done this without Kev. I couldn't have done this with anyone else," she spilled.
