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Anton Du Beke has shared the brutal reason he never got angry with the Strictly Come Dancing contestants he was paired with.
While reflecting on the results of the investigation into a rehearsal room scandal involving Amanda Abbington and former pro Giovanni Pernice, the show’s judge explained why he never lost his temper while competing on the show as a professional.
Before replacing Bruno Tonioli as a full-time judge on the BBC competition, Du Beke participated as a professional for 18 series, and was partnered with stars including Patsy Palmer, Kate Garraway and Judy Murray.
Du Beke found biggest Strictly success alongside opera singer Lesley Garrett, actor Laila Rouass, newsreader Katie Derham and EastEnders star Emma Barton, with whom he finished in second place in 2019.
However, throughout his time as a professional, Du Beke often found himself paired with celebrities who either failed to make it far in the competition or sailed through as that year’s “joke” contestant. These included Anne Widdecombe, Gillian Taylforth, Lesley Joseph and Susannah Constantine.
While reflecting on the scandal involving Giovanni Pernice, which saw the Italian pro clash with Amanda Abbington during last year’s series, the dancer explained why, unlike Pernice, he never got frustrated.
Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Du Beke said that he knew that some of the stars he was coupled with couldn’t dance, adding: ”Even when they are good, it is awful.”
He said during the interview: “I say this in the nicest way but none of them are 25. They are wonderful, interesting, fabulous, brilliant, funny, intelligent women who I enjoyed every second with, but it is what it is.
“I said to one of my partners: ‘Are you flexible?’ They said: ‘Yes, but I can’t do Tuesdays’.”
Du Beke said the most he could ask of his partner was that they “try their best”, adding: “That is as much as you can do.”
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Earlier this year, Rouass jumped to Du Beke’s defence after reports claimed she complained to the BBC about him. The Holby City actor appeared on the dancing competition in 2009, finishing in fourth place. At the time, the BBC was embroiled in a race row after reports emerged that Du Beke had said Rouass “looked like a p***” after having a spray tan.
At the time, he apologised for the use of the word, which is considered an offensive term and racial slur. However, Du Beke said that the term had been used as “banter” between the two.
Rouass denied reports she had filed a complaint about the experience to the BBC, writing on Instagram: “There has been much speculation over the last couple of weeks about alleged complaints I have made to the BBC regarding my time at Strictly .”
Rouass wrote: “Yes, Anton used derogatory words and it was unacceptable. Yes, Anton publicly apologised to me. Above all this, and most importantly, I do not believe Anton is racist or Islamophobic. If I believed he was, I would have refused to dance with him.”
