Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has hinted that one star of the BBC show could be looking to walk away, after revealing the contestant told him it is “getting a bit much”.
Speaking on stage in Bath while promoting his new memoir, Steps in Time, Du Beke said he had spoken to a cast member who was struggling with the demands of the series.
Anton Du Beke on the star's struggles
“I spoke to somebody the other day and they were like ‘It’s getting a bit much’,” he said, according to the Mirror.
“It’s somebody who’s been on it not that long, a little while, and I understood that. I thought about it for a while and I wondered if they will be on it or whether they will decide to step away or carry on.”
Du Beke, 60, did not name the star in question.
Du Beke opens up about his father
During the promotional appearances for his book, Du Beke also spoke about his difficult relationship with his father, who he described as a violent alcoholic.
He recounted an incident on Boxing Day when, while on the telephone with his dance instructor, his father stabbed him in the leg and stomach. He stumbled outside and flagged down a passing police vehicle.
In an interview with The Times, he said: “The police carted him off, [but] after [the stabbing] I never laid eyes on him again.”
Du Beke admitted he felt “embarrassed” by what happened and fabricated a story about tearing a hamstring when asked about the injuries.
Du Beke on his own drinking
Du Beke, who abstains from alcohol, explained why he does not drink: “I don't want people to think it defines me, but everybody's an armchair psychologist. They go, 'Oh, I see!' No, I promise, you don't see. I don't drink. Before people know my father's an alcoholic they go, 'He doesn't drink'. Now it's, 'I know why!' Not the case.
“I tried drinking when I was 17 and was sick all over the place. Two pints of beer, head spinning, the whole thing. I've got no constitution and it's hugely expensive. I'd rather spend the money on dancing lessons.”
