A biography for Anton du Bekehasn’t been written yet.
“I wish I'd become a professional dancer sooner. I did other jobs - like baking - while dancing part-time, and didn't commit until I was 29.”
“I remember watching the Three Tenors at the World Cup in 1990, and it was amazing. They made opera accessible to the man in the street.”
“Being fit is the easiest part of being a dance professional. I used to just throw on a backpack full of rocks and run up a hill. You don't even have to go to a gym.”
“As soon as I started dancing at 14, I knew I was always going to be a professional dancer.”
“I was one of those people who just flitted about in life. I had no plans and no sense of direction.”
“If I do find myself walking up the aisle and dancing at my own wedding reception, I want the first dance to be both spontaneous and dramatic.”
“I've been playing golf as long as I've been dancing, since I was 13 or 14. I play off six. I like to get out on a golf course as often as I can.”
“Because we had no other relatives living in the U.K., me, my parents and my siblings continuously journeyed abroad to bond with our extended family.”
“It's great that ballroom dancing is being recognised. For many years ballroom dancers were misunderstood and other dance forms didn't want anything to do with us.”
“If I avoid anything, it's that I don't really go to places that are like a little corner of England. I also never mind going to a dance show because I love it all so much.”
“I know what I'm good at, and if I'm asked to do something I'm not - like hip-hop dancing - I get self-conscious.”
“Having been part of this wonderful show ever since series one, I know all too well what it's like to perform to the nation on the famous 'Strictly Come Dancing' dancefloor.”
“I've never worried about being rich or famous - for me, it's all about the dancing.”
“I enjoy watching talented cooks bringing together ingredients into a fabulous dish.”
“I have no trouble with my sleep, but the amount I have varies from four to eight hours, depending on my schedule.”
“When I'm dancing with any woman, I immediately get rid of intimacy barriers. I just give her a big hug and crack on.”
“My goal is to be the best TV presenter, the best entertainer, the best singer. I still want to be the best dancer. I want to be the best at everything I do.”
“Ballroom is two people dancing together to music, touching in perfect harmony.”
“At places like Chelsea, often the garden displays are so big and grand that you'd never be able to have them at home.”
“I worked as an interior designer. I worked as a furniture salesman. I worked as a financial adviser. I worked as a painter and decorator - that wasn't for very long. I was a baker for about four-and-a-half years.”