Inside Strictly’s Anton Du Beke’s life: From abusive father to wife's heartbreaking ordeal

Anton Du Beke, the beloved Strictly Come Dancing judge and former professional dancer, has had a life marked by dramatic highs and lows.

From a challenging childhood overshadowed by an abusive father, to finding joy in marriage and fatherhood, Anton's journey has been nothing short of remarkable.

He quickly became a fan favourite and was even crowned Best Television Judge at the National Television Awards in 2022, following his debut series as a judge on the hit BBC show.

In a shocking revelation aired last year on ITV, Anton opened up about a harrowing incident from his past where he was stabbed by his father during his younger years.

Express.co.uk delves into the 58-year-old ballroom expert's life story as he embarks on his latest tour around the country alongside co-star Giovanni Pernice, who will not appear in the Strictly lineup this year.

Anton had a tough childhood

Born to a Spanish mother and Hungarian father, Anton spent his early years on a council estate in Sevenoaks, Kent.

His passion for dance ignited at the age of 14 after witnessing his sister's dance performance, leading him to develop an intense dedication to the craft.

While his mother supported his dancing ambitions, Anton faced severe opposition from his father, who derisively branded him "gay" for his interest in ballroom dancing.

On Kate Garraway's Life Stories last year, Anton recounted the painful memories of living with his father Antal, who could not come to terms with his son's aspirations.

During the candid interview, he recalls the tumultuous home environment, saying: "You'd move rooms to get away from all of it and he'd follow you in - and then next thing you know, the violence starts."

Anton opened up about the harrowing abuse he endured at the hands of his father, with his sister Veronica Richards corroborating the allegations. "He used to call Anton gay and he took a turn against him," she revealed.

She also described their father's mean streak when inebriated, explaining: "My dad's drinking affected his mood - he was mean, he wasn't a nice person when he was drunk."

Veronica recounted how their mother worked night shifts at a nursing home to make ends meet, leaving them unprotected from their father's wrath. After their parents' divorce, Anton chose not to attend his father's funeral in 2001, maintaining close ties only with his sister and mother.

The interview took a shocking turn as Anton recounted a terrifying incident where his drunken father stabbed him, leading to a desperate plea for help to a police officer, as he told them: "He's in there with a knife."

He spent three days recovering in hospital from the stabbing, a secret he had kept until the eye-opening interview. "I've never spoken about this before in my entire life," he confessed, suspecting that even those closest to him were unaware.

Strictly star Anton found happiness on the ballroom floor

Despite these challenges, Anton found solace and success in the world of dance. He left school at 16 and by the next year, had chosen to focus on ballroom dancing.

His partnership with Erin Boag began in 1997, culminating in winning the New Zealand Championships two years in a row. This laid the foundation for his later fame on Strictly Come Dancing.

The duo turned professional in 2002, primarily competing in UK-based competitions and clinching the DTA Classic in Brighton in 2003.

In 2004, Strictly Come Dancing was launched and Anton was among the original professional dancers to join the show.

Despite becoming a fan favourite, Anton has never actually won the competition.

His best performance to date is from the inaugural series, where he secured third place with singer Lesley Garrett.

In 2021, Anton was unveiled as a permanent judge on Strictly Come Dancing following Bruno Tonioli's exit - a role in which he has quickly gained popularity.

Anton and his wife faced a heartbreaking fertility battle

Anton found the love of his life, Hannah Summers, in his 40s, thus becoming a father later in life.

Hannah is a successful businesswoman serving as the chief marketing officer at leading mobile network security firm AdaptiveMobile.

The couple reportedly first crossed paths at a golf club in 2011 and dated for six years before tying the knot in 2017.

Previously speaking on the trials of becoming a parent on the Parenting Hell podcast, Anton explained they had experienced heartbreak when Hannah was unable to conceive naturally.

“She's everything I thought she would be,” he said. “I thought she'd be an excellent mum, always knew she'd be a great mum but she couldn't have children.

“I thought, ‘Isn't it funny how nature works in mysterious ways?’ The person I thought would be an incredible mum couldn't have children - that's the sad irony of it all.

“But as we had IVF we were able to have them in the end and I'm thrilled for me - because I'd have 100 [kids] by the way, because I love them” he said. “But I'm thrilled for Hannah because she is amazing at it."

In 2016, the pair joyfully announced they were expecting twins, and Hannah gave birth the same year they got married.

Twins George and Henrietta were born on March 30, 2017, when Anton was 50 years old.