Anton du Beke

“I think I've got a bit more to offer than just dancing. It might just be me that thinks that, but it's worth saying.”

“Wherever I can get a fast track, I'll try to because I can't stand the airport experience. If you can afford priority boarding, then do it. Nobody wants an unpleasant experience before it starts.”

“I look better with a tan, but I've never gone the fake route. I don't need to - I have good foreign genes: half Spanish, half Hungarian.”

“Ballroom dancing: it's a wonderful thing at so many levels because you've got to follow the rules. They used to call those rules etiquette once upon a time, but you don't really have that any more.”

“Frank Sinatra was a great singer, but my favourite is Sammy Davis Jr. He had incredible versatility in his voice, often doing impressions of people. It's always going to be classic, and you'll never get bored listening.”

“I have a magnificent chin and a long, odd-shaped face. As a result, I always look better in collars.”

“I'm going for Britain's Best Dressed Man award, but strangely, I'm never on the list.”

“My only drive was to be the best dancer in the world, but I never won the world championship.”

“I got sent some cheese once. I'm not sure if that was saying something about my act, or just because I like cheese.”

“I'd like to do a kind of 'Sunday Night At The Palladium'-style variety show on the BBC.”

“I don't get grumpy at a 'Strictly' level, you understand. We're just making a television show - the person I'm dancing with can't dance; they're doing their best, and we're not going to win the World Championships.”

“I've become a produce snob. I like to eat food that's in season.”

“I don't profess to be Luciano Pavarotti, but I can hold a tune.”

“Too many multi-vitamins are packaged as one size fits all, but you should be more specific about what you need. When I was competing as a dancer, I took zinc for healthy skin and immune system.”

“Give up smoking. Don't get so fat. So much illness is self-induced - which I can't stand. And I'm not a good nursemaid. Don't call me if you're ill.”

“A dancer's career is short - you just keep going until your legs pack up.”

“If things don't go fantastically, you just have to deal with it.”

“I went professional with my partner, Erin Boag, 11 years ago, and we had success competing round the world, but appearing on 'Strictly' has changed my life.”

“I don't mind how good or bad my partner is, as long as we have a lovely time.”

“The thing about me is that I love variety. I like to try new things, and I don't want to be pinned back.”