- Revealed he was stabbed as a child in the stomach and the leg by his father on Boxing Day – leaving him in hospital for three days
- Although his mother encouraged his new hobby, his father, Antal, ‘took a turn’ against Anton as alcoholism gripped him and he became violent at home
Anton Du Beke became tearful as he opened up about his relationship with his mother on Kate Garraway’s Life Stories on Wednesday.
During his emotional appearance, the Strictly Come Dancing star revealed that his mother Ascensión had been unwell as he praised her for supporting him during his early years on the BBC show.
In the interview, the 57-year-old explained how he’d grown up in an abusive household, and was stabbed as a child in the stomach and the leg by his father on Boxing Day – leaving him in hospital for three days.
Speaking about the BBC ballroom stalwart, the pro-turned-judge told Garraway that when he first joined the Strictly lineup he was still living with his mother, and fought back tears as he revealed she wasn’t able to be in the studio for his interview due to ill health.
The dancer then became visibly emotional, before adding: ‘She’s not been well, you see, and she’s amazing, and it makes me sad because what we were talking about earlier as well.
‘You want people to have the best life and she’s not been well and I hope that she’s had a great time certainly since I started doing Strictly.’
Born to a Spanish mother and Hungarian father, Anton discovered his flair for dancing after picking his sister Veronica up from a local studio in the town.
Although his mother encouraged his new hobby, his father, Antal, ‘took a turn’ against Anton as alcoholism gripped him and he became violent at home.
On the show, Kate asked: ‘Was the violence towards you?’ with Anton replying: ‘Me, yeah. I’ve never spoken about this before in my entire life actually. I wanted a new start, and a new beginning. I mean I ended up in hospital for three days, but it was…’
Kate said: ‘Did you?’ Anton replied: ‘Yeah.’ She then asked: ‘Why, what happened?’ Anton said: ‘I got, I got stabbed. I’ve never said this out loud before.’
Anton said he was sure his family and friends did not know about the attack because he never saw any gain from speaking about his ordeal, telling Kate: ‘I’m a forward looker… I don’t like to look back, I like to look forward.’
Recalling the incident, he continued: ‘…I got stabbed in the leg and in the stomach because of a fight on Boxing Day and it was an idiotic situation.
‘I remember walking out of the house to walk up to the hospital holding my leg and a police car drove past and I waved them down and I said “he’s in there with a knife”.
‘Anyway they carted him off and I ended up in hospital for three or four days. My only concern was getting back into the studio and dancing and the embarrassment of it.’
Anton said he told people he had ‘pulled a hamstring’ when asked about his leg injury because he was embarrassed.
He told host Kate: ‘I can’t really believe I’m talking to you about this. I should’ve glossed over this. Even the thought of that [the attack] being a thing sort of annoys me as well.’
Kate said Anton’s father was cleared in court of wounding his son and when he died, Anton did not attend his funeral.
‘Everything was about moving forwards, I felt sorry for my mum, this was her husband, she’s working two jobs and he chose to drink and be violent, it’s just life and you carry on,’ he said.
At the time, the aspiring dancer changed his name ‘from Tony Beke, who grew up on a council estate’ to ‘Anton Du Beke, The Show Man’.
His sister Veronica Richards also appeared on the programme and revealed how their father would drunkenly abuse Anton for being ‘gay’ and turned against him because of his love for dancing.
She explained: ‘My dad put him down for it [dancing], called him gay for doing it but that would have the effect on him [Anton] to make him wanna be the best.
‘He’s not Tony Bek who grew up on a council estate, he’s Anton Du Beke, the showman.’
Anton and Veronica both spoke movingly about the moral and financial support their mother provided to help him become a dancer.
Anton is now married to wife Hannah Summers with whom he shares twins George and Henrietta, six.
