Anton Du Beke

Anthony Paul Beke (born 20 July 1966), known professionally as Anton Du Beke, is a British ballroom and Latin dancer and television presenter, best known as a professional dancer on the BBC One celebrity dancing show, Strictly Come Dancing, since the show began in 2004. His professional dance partner since 1997 has been Erin Boag. Du Beke is also a presenter on ITV This Morning with John Barrowman, Rochelle Humes or Ben Shephard.

Anton Du Beke
Du Beke and Erin Boag at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham, January 2008
Born
Anthony Paul Beke

(1966-07-20) 20 July 1966
Sevenoaks, Kent, England
OccupationProfessional ballroom and Latin dancer, television presenter, comedian, singer, author
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
TelevisionStrictly Come Dancing (2004–)
Hole in the Wall (2008–09)
This Morning (2016-)
Step Up to the Plate (2008)
"Victoria Wood's Midlife Christmas"(2009)
Spouse(s)
Hannah Summers
(m. 2017)
Children2

In 2009, he presented the UK version of Hole in the Wall, for the BBC, replacing Dale Winton after being a team captain in 2008.

In November 2017, Du Beke released his debut studio album, From the Top, on Polydor Records. It reached number 21 on the UK Albums Chart.

Family and early life

Beke was born in Sevenoaks, Kent, to a Hungarian father, Antal Xavier Beke (1939–2001), and a Spanish mother, Ascensión "Conchita" Lema.[1] He has two younger siblings. He attended Wildernesse School in Sevenoaks.

Beke began dancing at 10, when he discovered his local dance school, the Holton School of Dancing in Sevenoaks, and took his first dancing exam in June 1978.[2] The school was run by Beryl Holton together with her mother Velda and later with her husband Stephen Turner. He started competitive dancing a few years later.

He had three partners during these formative years before the Holton School of Dancing closed in 1987 when Beryl and Stephen Turner moved with his banking career to Dorset. Du Beke left school at 16 to follow an amateur dancing career. At 17 he decided to specialise in ballroom. Whilst he danced during the evenings and at weekends he had a day job as a salesman in "The Bed Post" in Petts Wood, South London where he was known as Tony Beke.[3] He dated television presenter Caroline Feraday from 2007 to 2008.

Du Beke lives in Buckinghamshire with wife Hannah Summers. In November 2016 the couple announced they were expecting twins, due in spring 2017.[4] On 30 March 2017, his son George and daughter Henrietta were born, announced with an Instagram post.[5]

Career

Strictly Come Dancing

Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance

He has appeared in all series of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. In the first series, he danced with singer Lesley Garrett and finished in third place. For the second series, he partnered presenter Esther Rantzen; they were eliminated in the third week. He danced with actress Patsy Palmer for the third series and finished in fifth place. In the fourth series, he danced with actress and impressionist Jan Ravens but was eliminated in week 5 of the competition. His partner for the fifth series was TV presenter Kate Garraway; the couple was voted out in week 7. His partner for the sixth series was actress Gillian Taylforth; the couple was voted out in week 2. In series seven, he was partnered with Laila Rouass. Together, they made it to week 12.

In series 8, he partnered Conservative politician Ann Widdecombe and made it through to week 10. For its ninth series, Nancy Dell'Olio was Anton's partner, the couple were eliminated in week 5. His partner for the tenth series was model and actress Jerry Hall. They were eliminated in week 3. His partner for series 11 was actress Fiona Fullerton. They were eliminated in week 8 in Blackpool. For the show's twelfth series, his partner was tennis coach Judy Murray. They were also eliminated on week 8 in Blackpool. For series 13, Du Beke was partnered with newscaster and presenter Katie Derham they made it to Du Beke's first final in all 13 series and were eliminated in fourth place.

In series 14, Du Beke was partnered with actress Lesley Joseph. They were eliminated in week 5. In series 15 in 2017, Du Beke was paired with television presenter Ruth Langsford. In 2018 Anton was partnered with Fashion Journalist Susannah Constantine. They finished last (the first time Du Beke had ever done this) with an average of 12.00 (Du Beke's lowest). For the 17th series, he was partnered with Emma Barton. In Week 9, Du Beke received his first 10s in all 17 series for their American Smooth; the couple received a total of fifteen 10s during the series. They finished joint runners-up alongside Karim Zeroual and Amy Dowden, but lost out to Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse. In 2020 Anton was partnered with former home secretary Jacqui Smith. They were eliminated in week 2 (first), Anton's second time finishing last.

Du Beke has also appeared on a number of Children in Need and Christmas Special's of Strictly Come Dancing. In 2008 he won the Children in Need 2008, special dancing an American Smooth with Tess Daly. He danced once again with Anne Widdecombe in the 2012 Children in Need special but lost out to Russell Grant and Flavia Cacace. He did however go on to win the Children in Need 2014 special where he and fellow dancer Natalie Lowe taught a group of children how to dance. Du Beke has also reprised his partnership with both Lesley Garret and Ann Widdecombe for the 2004 and 2018 Christmas special. He has also danced with Ronni Ancona, Su Pollard, Katy Brand and Denise Lewis in the respective 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2016 Christmas specials. In 2015 Du Beke served as a judge on The People's Strictly, a one off version of the show where non-celebrities compete for the charity Comic Relief. In 2020, he reprised his role as a judge for weeks 4 and 5 to fill in for Motsi Mabuse who needed to quarantine after travelling to Germany.

Controversies

In 2009, Du Beke said that his dance partner Laila Rouass "looked like a paki" after she had arrived at rehearsal with a spray tan. Du Beke denied being racist and claimed that the comment was made "in jest".[6][7]

Other television appearances

In March 2007 Du Beke was a contestant on the BBC Two series The Underdog Show and was paired with homeless dog Ginger, they were eliminated in week three of the competition.

Du Beke has presented the BBC cookery show Step Up to the Plate. He served as a captain and from series 2 the host on the UK version of Hole in the Wall, which premiered on 20 September 2008 on BBC One. On 24 December 2009, he appeared in Victoria Wood's Midlife Christmas, in a sketch called "Beyond The Marigolds", where he spoofed his Strictly Come Dancing role by being paired with fictional soap star "Bo Beaumont" (played by Julie Walters). Beaumont quit the show when unable to master Du Beke's warm up steps.

In 2011 Du Beke won the Rear of the Year award.

During the week of 5 to 9 May 2014, Du Beke appeared on Channel 4 game show Draw It!.[8]

On Christmas Day 2019, Du Beke surprised Craig Revel Horwood as a guest in the Christmas Midnight Gameshow in Michael McIntyre's Big Christmas Show.

Strictly Come Dancing performances

Series Partner Place Average
Score
1 Lesley Garrett 3rd 29.3
2 Esther Rantzen 8th 18.7
3 Patsy Palmer 5th 27.7
4 Jan Ravens 9th 22.8
5 Kate Garraway 8th 19.2
6 Gillian Taylforth 15th 22.0
7 Laila Rouass 4th 27.8
8 Ann Widdecombe 6th 16.2
9 Nancy Dell'Olio 11th 15.6
10 Jerry Hall 13th 18.0
11 Fiona Fullerton 9th 26.1
12 Judy Murray 9th 19.4
13 Katie Derham 4th 28.4
14 Lesley Joseph 11th 26.2
15 Ruth Langsford 9th 20.0
16 Susannah Constantine 15th 12.0
17 Emma Barton 2nd 31.6
18 Jacqui Smith 12th 16.7

Series 1 – with celebrity partner Lesley Garrett, Du Beke was placed 3rd.

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Phillips Goodman Tonioli
1 Waltz / "He Was Beautiful" 6 8 8 7 29 No elimination
2 Rumba / "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" 6 7 7 7 27 Safe
3 Tango / "Sensation" 7 8 7 7 29 Safe
4 Paso Doble / "Scott & Fran's Paso Doble" 7 7 8 8 30 Bottom two
5 Samba / "Mas que Nada" 7 6 7 7 27 Bottom two
6 Foxtrot / "I've Got You Under My Skin"
Cha-Cha-Cha / "Spinning Around"
8
6
8
6
9
7
9
7
34
26
Bottom two
7 Quickstep / "That Old Black Magic"
Jive / "My Baby Just Cares for Me"
8
7
8
7
8
8
9
7
33
29
Third place

Series 2 – with celebrity partner Esther Rantzen, Du Beke was placed 8th.

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Phillips Goodman Tonioli
1 Waltz / "Moon River" 5 6 6 7 24 Safe
2 Rumba / "The Look of Love" 2 4 5 5 16 Bottom two
3 Tango / "Tanguera" 2 4 5 5 16 Eliminated

Series 3 – with celebrity partner Patsy Palmer; placed 5th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Phillips Goodman Tonioli
1 Waltz / "Fly Me to the Moon" 3 4 6 6 19 Safe
2 Rumba / "She" 6 6 7 7 26 Safe
3 Tango / "Una Musica Brutal" 8 8 9 9 34 Safe
4 Foxtrot / "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You" 7 8 8 8 31 Safe
5 Samba / "Go Back to My Roots" 6 6 7 7 26 Safe
6 Quickstep / "Lover Come Back to Me" 7 8 8 8 31 Bottom two
7 Cha-Cha-Cha / "A Little Less Conversation" 6 4 7 7 24 Bottom two
8 Jive / "Two Hearts"
American Smooth / "It Had to Be You"
6
7
6
8
7
8
8
8
27
31
Eliminated

Series 4 – with celebrity partner Jan Ravens; placed 9th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Phillips Goodman Tonioli
2 Quickstep / "When You're Smiling" 6 6 6 6 24 Safe
3 Jive / "Do You Wanna Dance" 3 4 6 5 18 Safe
4 Foxtrot / "Night and Day" 5 5 7 7 24 Bottom two
5 Viennese Waltz / "Iris" 5 6 7 7 25 Eliminated

Series 5 – with celebrity partner Kate Garraway; placed 8th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Phillips Goodman Tonioli
2 Quickstep / "Love Machine" 2 4 5 4 15 Safe
3 Tango / "They" 4 5 5 5 19 Safe
4 Samba / "Dancing Queen" 3 3 6 4 16 Safe
5 Foxtrot / "I Could Write a Book" 5 7 7 7 26 Safe
6 Salsa / "Peanut Vendor" 3 4 6 5 18 Safe
7 Paso Doble / "Somebody Told Me" 4 5 7 5 21 Eliminated

Series 6 – with celebrity partner Gillian Taylforth; placed 15th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Phillips Goodman Tonioli
2 Foxtrot / "Razzle Dazzle" 4 5 7 6 22 Eliminated

Series 7 – with celebrity partner Laila Rouass; placed 4th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Goodman Dixon Tonioli
2 Tango / "El Choclo"
Cha-Cha-Cha / "Sway"
7
6
8
7
7
6
8
6
30
25
Safe
3 Quickstep / "Strike Up the Band" 8 8 7 7 30 Safe
4 Foxtrot / "Just in Time" 8 9 9 8 34 Safe
5 Jive / "Modern Love" 5 7 5 5 22 Safe
6 Samba / "He's the Greatest Dancer" 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
7 Viennese Waltz / "Once Around the Block" 8 9 8 8 33 Safe
8 Paso Doble / "Layla" 7 7 8 8 30 Safe
91 Rumba / "Rule the World" 3 7 6 6 22 Safe
10 Waltz / "Fascination" 6 8 7 8 29 Bottom two
11 Charleston / "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" 6 9 8 8 31 Safe
12 American Smooth / "My Kind of Girl"
Salsa / "Cogele el Gusto"
6, 62
5, 52
7
6
7
5
7
5
33
26
Eliminated

1 Rouass and Du Beke only performed half of their routine, due to an injury.
2 Scores from guest judge Darcey Bussell.

Series 8 – with celebrity partner Ann Widdecombe; placed 6th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Goodman Dixon Tonioli
1 Waltz / "My Cherie" 2 5 5 5 17 No elimination
2 Salsa / "Mambo Italiano" 1 4 4 3 12 Safe
3 Quickstep / "Puttin' On the Ritz" 3 5 5 5 18 Safe
4 Tango / "La cumparsita" 3 7 6 5 21 Safe
5 Paso Doble / "Wild Thing" 2 5 5 4 16 Safe
6 Charleston / "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" 2 6 5 4 17 Safe
7 Foxtrot / "You Make Me Feel So Young" 3 6 6 5 20 Safe
8 Samba / "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" 1 5 4 3 13 Safe
9 Rumba / "My Heart Will Go On" 1 5 5 3 14 Safe
10 American Smooth / "Hello Dolly" 2 5 4 3 14 Eliminated

Series 9 – with celebrity partner Nancy Dell'Olio; placed 11th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Goodman Dixon Tonioli
1 Waltz / "In Napoli" 1 4 3 4 12 No elimination
2 Salsa / "Papa Loves Mambo" 3 5 2 4 14 Safe
3 Tango / "Be Italian" 4 5 5 6 20 Bottom two
4 Paso Doble / "Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto" 3 5 5 5 18 Bottom two
5 Rumba / "Spooky" 2 5 3 4 14 Eliminated

Series 10 – with celebrity partner Jerry Hall; placed 13th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Bussell Goodman Tonioli
1 Cha-Cha-Cha / "Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha" 3 5 5 5 18 No elimination
2 Foxtrot / "Pennies from Heaven" 3 5 5 5 18 Safe
3 Quickstep / "Mrs. Robinson" 3 6 5 4 18 Eliminated

Series 11 – with celebrity partner Fiona Fullerton; placed 9th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Bussell Goodman Tonioli
1 Tango / "A View to a Kill" 5 6 7 6 24 No elimination
2 Cha-Cha-Cha / "Beggin'" 6 6 5 5 22 Safe
3 Waltz / "True Love" 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
4 Rumba / "World of Our Own" 4 6 6 6 22 Safe
5 Quickstep / "If My Friends Could See Me Now" 7 7 8 8 30 Safe
6 Charleston / "Jeepers Creepers" 6 7 8 7 28 Safe
7 Paso Doble / "Song 2" 5 7 7 7 26 Safe
8 American Smooth / "Come Fly with Me" 6 7 8 8 29 Eliminated

Series 12 – with celebrity partner Judy Murray; placed 9th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Bussell Goodman Tonioli
1 Waltz / "Mull of Kintyre" 3 4 6 5 18 No elimination
2 Cha-Cha-Cha / "She's a Lady" 2 5 5 5 17 Safe
3 Quickstep / "Don't Rain on My Parade" 3 5, 53 5 5 23 Safe
4 Tango / "Jealousy" 4 6 6 6 22 Safe
5 Charleston / "Varsity Drag" 3 5 5 5 18 Safe
6 American Smooth / "Cruella de Vil" 3 6 6 5 20 Safe
7 Paso Doble / "I Fought the Law" 3 5 5 5 18 Safe
8 Viennese Waltz / "Let's Go Fly a Kite" 4 6 7 7 24 Eliminated

3 Score from guest judge Donny Osmond.

Series 13 – with celebrity partner Katie Derham; placed 4th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Bussell Goodman Tonioli
1 Jive / "Roll Over Beethoven" 6 6 7 7 26 No elimination
2 Tango / "Telephone" 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
3 Cha-Cha-Cha / "Pretty Woman" 4 6 5 5 20 Safe
4 Viennese Waltz / "If I Can Dream" 8 9 8 8 33 Safe
5 Salsa / "It had better be tonight" 4 6 6 5 21 Safe
6 Paso Doble / "The Phantom of the Opera" 4 6 6 5 21 Safe
7 Quickstep / "42nd Street" 6 7 7 6 26 Safe
8 Rumba / "Never Never Never" 7 8 8 8 31 Safe
9 American Smooth/"Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe
10 Argentine Tango/"Libertango"
Quickstep-athon / Sing, Sing, Sing
7
Awarded
8
5
8
Extra
9
Points
32
37
Safe
11 Foxtrot / "Maybe This Time" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe
12 Charleston / "Too Darn Hot"
Waltz / "O mio babbino caro"
4
8
7
9
7
7
7
7
25
31
Bottom Two
13 Quickstep / "42nd Street"
Showdance / "O Fortuna"
7
7
8
8
8
8
8
8
31
31
Fourth place

Series 14 – with celebrity partner Lesley Joseph; placed 11th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Bussell Goodman Tonioli
1 Waltz / "What'll I Do" 5 6 6 6 23 No elimination
2 Cha-cha-cha / "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps" 6 7 7 6 26 Safe
3 Quickstep / "A Couple of Swells" 6 7 7 7 27 Safe
4 Charleston / "Won't You Charleston with Me" 7 8 8 8 31 Safe
5 Tango/ "Whatever Lola Wants" 5 6 7 6 24 Eliminated

Series 15 – with celebrity partner Ruth Langsford; placed 9th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Bussell Ballas Tonioli
1 Waltz / "This Nearly Was Mine" 3 4 4 5 16 No elimination
2 Charleston / "The Charleston" 3 5 6 6 20 Safe
3 Rumba / "Diamonds Are Forever" 3 5 3 4 15 Safe
4 Tango / "Allegretto" 6 6 6 6 24 Safe
54 Samba / "Love Is in the Air" 5 5 6 - 16 Safe
6 Quickstep / "Bewitched Theme" 4 6 6 6 22 Safe
7 Paso Doble / "The Shady Dame from Seville" 4 6 6 6 22 Safe
8 Foxtrot / "Mack The Knife" 4 5 4 5 18 Eliminated

4Tonioli was absent due to working on Dancing with the Stars (US TV series)

Series 16 – with celebrity partner Susannah Constantine; placed 15th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Bussell Ballas Tonioli
1 Samba / "Tico-Tico no Fubá" 1 4 3 4 12 No elimination
2 Foxtrot / "They Can't Take That Away From Me" 1 4 4 3 12 Eliminated

Series 17 – with celebrity partner Emma Barton; placed 2nd

In week 9, at Blackpool, dancing an American Smooth, Du Beke scored his first ever 10s. [9][10]

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Mabuse Ballas Tonioli
1 Jive / "Honey, Honey" 6 6 5 6 23 No elimination
2 Foxtrot / "Sunshine of Your Love" 6 6 6 6 24 Safe
3 Salsa / "Soul Bossa Nova" 6 7 7 7 27 Safe
4 Viennese Waltz / "Send In the Clowns" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe
5 Paso Doble / "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart" 5 7 7 75 26 Safe
6 Tango / "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" 5 7 8 8 28 Safe
7 Rumba / "Woman in Love" 5 6 5 6 22 Safe
8 Jazz / "Right Now" 8 9 8 8 33 Safe
9 American Smooth / "Let's Face the Music and Dance" 8 9 10 10 37 Safe
10 Quickstep / "Sparkling Diamonds" 6 8 7 8 29 Safe
11 Charleston / "Thoroughly Modern Millie" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
12 Cha-Cha-Cha / "Hold My Hand"
Waltz / "Gymnopédie No. 1
7
8
8
9
8
9
8
10
31
36
Safe
13 Charleston / "Thoroughly Modern Millie"
Showdance / "Let Yourself Go"
Viennese Waltz / "Send In the Clowns"
9
8
9
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
39
38
39
Runner-up

5Score awarded by guest judge Alfonso Ribeiro

Series 18 - with celebrity partner Jacqui Smith; placed 12th

Week # Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Revel Horwood Ballas Mabuse
1 Foxtrot / "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" 3 5 5 13 No elimination
2 Samba / "Help Yourself" 2 5 5 12 Eliminated

Discography

  • From the Top (2017)

Books

Du Beke has released a book called Anton's Dance Class which was serialised in the Mail on Sunday.[11] Du Beke also wrote A-Z on Ballroom Dancing, B is for Ballroom.[12]

In October 2018, Du Beke released his debut novel 'One Enchanted Evening'.

Anton has now released three novels which have all been set around the Buckingham Hotel and characters Raymond and Nancy. Anton announced in December 2019 that his publishers have asked for book 3 & 4 in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

  • One Enchanted Evening (2018)
  • Moonlight over Mayfair (2019)
  • A Christmas to Remember (2020)
  • Untitled 4th book (2021)

Dance tours

In June 2020, Anton & Erin Boag announced a 3-month 2021 UK Tour "SHOWTIME".[13]

In July 2020, Anton & Erin Boag announced they were to appear at "Dancing With The Stars Weekends".[14]

In September 2020, Anton & Giovanni Pernice announced a 2021 UK Tour "HIM & ME".[15]

Philanthropy

Du Beke is an honorary patron of The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America.[16]

References

  1. "Strictly good friends: Anton Du Beke reveals what REALLY went on with Kate Garraway my name's Jackie". London Evening Standard. 19 July 2008. Archived from the original on 7 October 2009.
  2. Source: International Dance Teachers Association.
  3. "Anton Du Beke interviewed by Kent Life". Kent Life. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  4. Jones, Catherine (8 August 2014). "Strictly star Anton Du Beke ready and waiting for Southport Flower Show – win a champagne tea with him!". Liverpool Echo.
  5. "Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke announces birth of twins". News & Star. 30 March 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  6. "Strictly Come Dancing: Anton Du Beke apologises over racist term". the Guardian. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  7. "BBC stands by race row Du Beke". 5 October 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  8. "Draw it!". digiguide.tv.
  9. Hogan, Michael (16 November 2019). "Strictly Come Dancing 2019, week 9 Blackpool special: Anton Du Beke scores his first ever 10s but Kelvin Fletcher and Karim Zeroual tied at top" via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  10. "Strictly Come Dancing pro Anton Du Beke FINALLY gets his first-ever ten". Radio Times.
  11. "Anton's Dance Class". Kyle Cathie. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009.
  12. B is for Ballroom. Constable & Robinson. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012.
  13. "Home - Anton and Erin Live". antonanderinlive.co.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  14. "5* Weekend Break with the Stars of BBC Strictly Come Dancing". www.donaheys.co.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  15. "Home - Anton and Giovanni Live". antonandgiovanni.com. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  16. "About Us". The Music Hall Guild. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
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