Anton Du Beke and all the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 gang are gearing up for the dance competition's annual trip to the ballroom haven of Blackpool this weekend.

Eight couples remain in the competition — comedian Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas, singer and presenter JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, Gladiators' Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe, reality star Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał, actress Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, model and Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, and opera singer Wynne Evans and Katya Jones — and they're all hoping that they'll dazzle the audience and the judges this week in the Tower Ballroom to secure a place in next week's show.

Ahead of Strictly's Blackpool bonanza, we caught up with Anton, who joined the judging panel permanently in 2021 after 17 years as a professional dancer on the show, to get his thoughts on the series so far — and who he thinks could win it...

Anton Du Beke interview for Strictly's Blackpool week

Strictly Come Dancing continues with Blackpool Week on Saturday, November 16 at 6.45pm on BBC1, with the results on Sunday, November 17 at 7.20pm.

Strictly pro dancer Anton Du Beke has married his long-term girlfriend

Anton Du Beke has tied the knot with his girlfriend Hannah Summers.

The Strictly dancer, 50, and his long-term partner became parents to twins in March.

A spokeswoman for the Strictly star, who was believed to be in the running for the position of Strictly Come Dancing judge before Shirley Ballas landed the role, confirmed the marriage.

In March, Anton went on Instagram to share the news about his babies, posting a picture of two tiny pairs of ribboned booties with his signature stage top hat and cane.

“Oh my! The little dancing feet have arrived. Mum and twins are perfect and dad is ridiculously excited!” he wrote.  

Strictly Come Dancing professional Anton Du Beke and his partner Hannah Summers are expecting twins

Congratulations to Strictly Come Dancing pro Anton Du Beke, whose girlfriend is pregnant with twins.

Following Saturday night’s live episode of the BBC programme, the 50-year-old dancer wrote on Twitter: “Hannah and I are delighted to announce that we are expecting twins in the spring. We are over the moon!”

He also shared a picture of a top hat and two pairs of infant-sized dancing shoes under which it read: “We hear the ‘tippety-tap’ of tiny feet!”

The twins, conceived with the help of IVF treatment, will be the first children for Anton and Hannah, who have been together for nearly five years.

In a 2014 interview, Anton spoke fondly of his partner.

He told the Mail on Sunday: “She’s a top marketing expert and we’ve been together since April 2012. I love her above all things.”

He went on to describe her as “so beautiful, bright and funny”.

Anton has appeared on Strictly since the show’s inception back in 2004 although he has never won the prestigious glitterball trophy, and he is often cited as a possible replacement for head judge Len Goodman when he steps down at the end of this year.

He was recently knocked out of the current series with his partner, actress Lesley Joseph.

Congratulations poured in for the dancer, his former Strictly co-star Kristina Rihanoff and Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones leading the charge.

Anton’s former partner Judy Murray, with whom he danced in series 12 in 2014, wrote along with baby bottle emojis on Twitter: “BOOM.”

Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight with the results show on BBC1, 7.15pm.

Strictly Come Dancing chiefs have made the show's professionals follow a list of rules that include no plastic surgery

Strictly Come Dancing stars such as Anton Du Beke, Brendan Cole and Giovanni Pernice, have been subjected to regulations which include not doing their own make-up on the celebrity show and steering clear of having plastic surgery.

A source revealed: "Some of these stipulations are ridiculous, it's always funny when they come through. There've been instances where dancers have run into trouble after flouting these rules."

What's more, a contract seen by the Daily Mirror has revealed the professional dancers - who are paid £42,500 for the five months of physical work, while judges reportedly take home over £90,000 a series - have been asked to refrain from declaring "any political involvement" and cannot take "action to try to manipulate the public vote... such as setting up a call centre... or taking out a national advertising campaign".

Their costumes are vetted by BBC bosses, who have the last say in what they wear.

Meanwhile, producers are in the process of deciding the final line-up after Aliona Vilani - who guided Jay McGuiness to win the glitter ball trophy last year - Kristina Rihanoff and Ola Jordan quit.

Celebrity contestants are also yet to be revealed, however names thrown into the hat include Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker, Anastacia, Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery, TV presenting duo Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes and Coronation Street’s Ryan Thomas.

Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC1 later this year.

As Anton Du Beke quicksteps towards this year’s final with glamorous Proms presenter Katie Derham, he has finally addressed the 'curse of Strictly'.

Previous series have a history of contestants partnering up with their teachers, but the 49-year-old dismissed the trend as unbecoming for 'professional people'.

Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke get up close and personal during one of their routines (Kieron McCarron/BBC)

“If people want to do something like that, get involved with their partner, well go ahead, but don’t ask me about it.

“As far as I’m concerned, we’re professional people and that’s not the way I behave,” he said firmly.

Anton has plenty of admiration for his past partners, however, gallantly hailing them 'the most interesting and lovely ladies to dance with'.

Anton has lots of praise for his dance partners (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

He said: “If I hadn’t danced with Ann Widdecombe that would have been my loss because she was a joy, such a scream and fun to be with.

“I wouldn’t have missed those wonderful moments last year, throwing Judy Murray across the floor… And, for heaven’s sake, Jerry Hall’s a living legend and also hilarious. I’ve enjoyed every second of it all.”

Anton and Katie have made the final seven (Guy Levy/BBC)

This year, he has lit up the dance floor with Katie, possibly his first real chance in 11 years on the show of raising the glitterball trophy in triumph.

“Potentially, this is my best chance in a long time and I was thrilled to be paired with Katie because she has what it takes to go all the way in this competition, but even so, all you can do is take it week by week,” he said.

“Katie has innate talent and glamour, great natural posture and looks lovely in the frocks,” he said, but noting: “She does find it difficult and she gets nervous and anxious on show night, which is understandable.”

Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke (BBC Pictures)

Anton claims that he doesn’t care if he wins or loses on the show.

“It makes no difference to me whether I win it or not. Of course, being voted off is horrible, you feel so much disappointment for your partner if that happens, and obviously I always do my very best every week.

“But winning is something you only worry about when you get to the final and as I’ve never got there, I’ve never worried about it!”

Katie Derham and Anton Du Beke (Guy Levy/BBC)

Anton instead finds happiness in his relationship with his partner of three-and-a-half years, marketing executive Hannah Summers.

“Previously I’d never given any thought to finding ‘the one’. It wasn’t that important to me because I loved what I was doing so much – performing was the ‘woman’ in my life if you like – but then Hannah came along.

“She’s just perfect. I love her above all things. She’s very beautiful, clever, but also really kind,” he confessed.

Anton and his professional partner of 18 years, Erin Boag (Yui Mok/PA)

Marriage and possibly even children could be on the cards for the couple in the next few years, he admits.

“Marry? I might do, maybe next year. Let’s see – we’re very happy.

“Children? Well it would be nice to have one child, but we’ll see how it goes…”

Anton Du Beke is all smiles when he arrives at the TV Times cover shoot, and it’s no wonder. After more than a decade of dancing (and sometimes flying) with the likes of Ann Widdecombe and Judy Murray, Strictly’s most popular pro finally has a shot at the coveted glitterball trophy.

His partner Katie Derham has dazzled the judges with her natural ability, and Anton has joked that it would usually take him weeks to rack up the points they are receiving for each dance!

As they strike a glamorous pose they chat to us about their chances of glitterball glory…

Anton and Katie, you look sensational! Fred and Ginger would be proud…

Anton: "What a lovely shoot! This is what dancing feels like to me. Katie looks incredible in that dress and I love a top hat and cane. Fred Astaire has always been my hero and I loved the old movies and musicals when I was growing up, they were a big inspiration to me. "

Katie: "I thought I was a complete nerd about MGM musicals, but my knowledge is nothing compared to Anton’s! Me and my sister used to have all of our favourite dance scenes on one VHS at home, I’m a sucker for those films. I love this dress, it feels proper. I just want to twirl around in it."

(Picture courtesy Dan Goldsmith/TV Times)

Anton, you’ve become the go-to partner for Strictly’s less gifted contestants. It must be a dream come true to dance with Katie?

Anton: "It’s never been about winning, I just enjoy the process and I love being part of Strictly. You’re with each other for a long time every day and Katie is a joy to be with. She’s actually turned out to be rather good so that’s a little added bonus for me, but I enjoy dancing with all my partners, be it Ann Widdecombe or Judy Murray."

Katie: "Not as much as you enjoy dancing with me though."

Anton: "I enjoy being with Katie the most of all the ladies I’ve ever met in my life. Seriously. My mum comes a close second. [laughs]"

Don’t pretend you haven’t thought about winning, Anton…

Anton: "I’ve often wondered what it would be like to be in the final, but then I’ve thought to myself, you’ve got to do two dances every week, it looks exhausting! The new dancers come to pro rehearsals every year and comment that I’ve never won. Then the rest of the room goes silent and the girls try to comfort me. I never get to touch the glitterball trophy…"

Katie: "I had a whole room redecorated just in case, with an empty plinth in the centre. That’s a joke! At the moment we’re all giddy with it, but I’m sure we’ll get more competitive. I want to get to Blackpool because everyone says the after-party is really good!"

Katie, you’re being billed as the woman who could take Anton to the final. Is that added pressure?

Katie: "I have to say there is a world of support out there for Mr Du Beke and I think they will hunt me down like a dog if I let him down, I’ll never be able to go out again."

Anton: "Waitrose will be an entirely different experience. You’ll have to shop online!"

Katie: "You’ve got to be philosophical about it, I’m sure the viewers at home understand there is nothing that we can do to plan the outcome of this series other than to do our best each week. It’s lovely to feel that support out there though, it’s really surprising and reassuring. Everyone wants to stop and talk about the show – I’ve been working in telly for 20 years but now I’m ‘Katie off Strictly’ and I’m delighted with that."

Katie, when you were partnered with Anton you described him as your guilty pleasure. Has he been the kind of person you expected?

Anton: "I’m higher maintenance!"

Katie: "He’s everything and more – that’s what Anton taught me to say. I have to say ‘legend’ at some point too, don’t I? I wanted to get Anton because I’ve watched every series of Strictly and I knew we’d get along and it would be a laugh. He gets my jokes, not everybody does. They’re not repeatable unfortunately."

Anton: "We have the same humour but it’s a humour we need to keep in the studio…"

Anton always looks so dapper in training. Katie, does he let you wear gym clothes or does he insist on something smarter?

Katie: "Well, I do turn up in my sports kit, but I often feel as if I’ve been invited to a completely different party! Most of my exercise clothes are box fresh, never before used, some of them dating back many years..."

Anton: "There are some tremendous colours! Training in collar and tie is just what I’ve always done, it helps me find my form. Gleb [Savchenko] and I are going to have a wardrobe exchange one day. I’ll be wearing a baseball hat backwards, vest and jogging bottoms with a low crotch."

Katie: "I would pay such a lot of money to see you come to training wearing that. Except that knowing you it would all be very neat and well pressed."

Anton: "Oh yeah it would be beautiful, I’d have a crease down the front of my jogging bottoms!"

Katie, are your daughters excited to see you on Strictly?

Katie: "Yes my elder daughter, Natasha, does 16 hours dancing a week so she’s chuffed to bits. She came to the studio one Saturday night and she was just agog to be sitting on the front row, seeing all the professionals so close, she’s enthralled by it all. Both the girls love a good Anton story as well, but I’m judicious in what I tell them to pass on to the playground!"

Anton: "Choose wisely!"

It’s time to dig out the fake tan and slap on those sequins as another 16 famous faces are about to show off their dancing prowess, or lack of it, on Strictly Come Dancing.

As TV’s most sparkly show launches this Saturday and the nervous celebs are paired with their professional dancers, TV Times took seasoned pros Anton du Beke, 49, and Ola Jordan, 32, for a spin around the floor to find out more…

So are you excited to be back?

Anton: “So excited. I love the launch show where we see who we get. It is hilarious when we stand there having a measure up going, ‘Is she about the right height for him?’”

Ola: “Yes, some of the guys this year like Ainsley Harriott and Jeremy Vine are tall and most of us girls are short so that will be funny. We do wind each other up, we think we know who’ll partner who, but we don’t ever get it right!”

Are you nervous about who you might get?

Anton: “No, I never mind. People say to me, ‘Do you wish you could dance with somebody who might win?’ Last year it would have been lovely to have danced with Caroline Flack or Pixie Lott, but I wouldn’t have had the great time I did with Judy Murray.”

Ola: “Every year, when people ask who I want to do Strictly, I say Peter Andre, so I’m glad he’s doing it this year, but I’d love to get anyone!”

How are your rehearsals for your professional group dances going?

Anton: “It has been great messing around and our new pros have settled in immediately with the banter as though they’ve always been there.”

Ola: “They have really fitted into our dysfunctional Strictly family! It is hard work doing the rehearsals, but really fun too.”

Have you started any special preparations yet like topping up your spray tan?

Ola: “Not yet, but I will before the launch show. As soon as you know you are doing Strictly again you have to prepare yourself. This is the calm before the storm; it takes over your life.”

Anton: “I don’t do the spray tan because I wear too many clothes, it’d be a waste! But I have makeup, a little touch-up round the gunnels, I do like a bit of powder. I’ve had my hair done a couple of times so I’m starting to beautify, but it takes longer than it used to.

What’s the first advice you give your celebs?

Anton: “We start with, ‘This is your left foot, this is your right, try not to get them mixed up.’ I tell them how nervous they’re going to be, but they don’t understand until it starts and then they say, ‘I can’t feel my legs, I’m so nervous.’ The most important thing is that they have a great time. I’d be mortified if my celeb said, ‘I didn’t enjoy that’.”

Ola: “Yes, you want them to say, ‘We had fun, I’m going to miss it.’ Nerves can take over and there is so much going on in Strictly world that people get stressed and forget to enjoy it.”

Are you proud to be among the longest-serving pros?

Anton: “Enormously. Brendan Cole and I have been there from the start and every year we always say, ‘Well done old sausage and good luck.’ I hope we continue as long as the show runs. I’m the most mature, or I should say experienced, but my enthusiasm gives me energy. You never get tired doing something you love and I’ve looked after myself down the years so everything is still in working order.”

Ola: “I’m so happy to be back for my 10th series and it’s extra special after my injury [Ola had knee surgery after getting injured during training for C4’s The Jump]. It has been a horrible year; I never thought I would be back dancing, let alone this quickly. My husband James (former Strictly pro James Jordan) helped me a lot and I am pleased with myself that I worked hard and I’m back on my feet. So you just watch me on Strictly!”

Judy Murray has revealed that learning the tango for this week’s dance has been a real struggle - because every time she tries to look passionately into professional partner Anton Du Beke’s eyes, she bursts out laughing.

“I get the giggles,” Judy confessed. “He’s great fun, he’s got such a good sense of humour. And when he’s coming towards me and very close, I just dissolve into giggles, which is absolutely not what you are supposed to do.”

Her plan to combat the giggles is to try and recall the stress of watching her tennis champ son Andy competing in the Wimbledon Final.

“I’m normally quite good at doing a poker face when I’m watching the boys playing tennis,” Judy says. “So I think that’s what I have to channel.”

The tennis coach has had low scores and poor comments from the judges so far and is currently the favourite to get the boot, with bookmaker William Hill giving her odds of 6/4 to go this weekend.

But Judy revealed that tennis champ sons Andy and Jamie have promised to come to watch her if she can stay in one more round.

“I have a big incentive to try and stay in this week because, hopefully, they’ll have finished their tennis commitments in Europe and be able to come and watch next weekend.

“So I have to perform well and not look like I’ve got rigor mortis this week!”

Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC1, Saturday, October 18, 6.30pm.

Anton Du Beke has revealed Judy Murray is going to surprise viewers with her sense of fun on Strictly Come Dancing.

The professional ballroom dancer said he was 'thrilled' to be paired with the sports coach and mother of tennis champion Andy Murray on the BBC show, and promised to bring out a very different side to the one we seefrom the side of tennis courts.

Anton revealed at the TV Choice awards: "I'm thrilled because she's such a great girl.

"What I want people to see though, what I've found out about her in the small time I've been with her, is her wonderful sense of humour. What we see is this strong mum, but she wants to have fun, she wants to be Judy 'look at me, I'm having fun', and I think she's going to do it."

Anton revealed he thinks Judy's strong competitive side from the tennis world will be an advantage on the dance floor.

He said: "I think she has a competitive edge, but that's great, because you need that, because the show is so nerve-racking that you have to have that sort of focus, which she'll have.

"But the key thing for Judy is fun. If we can get some fun out of her she's going to have a lovely time. She's so excited, I can't even tell you, because she's such a fan of the show, she's so excited."

Strictly Come Dancing's Anton du Beke talks to TV Times magazine about guest-starring in Doctors…

How do you feel about landing this guest role?

"It’s a bit of fun, isn’t it? I haven’t in actual fact watched it before, but now I’m going to be an avid viewer! I hear it’s great and has some good actors and guest stars. They had Lionel Blair on recently – there you are, showbiz in a glass!"

You will appear as yourself in next Friday’s episode to judge a ballroom dancing competition involving Dr Daniel Granger (played by Matthew Chambers), who has been learning to dance with Toni (Esther Hall)…

"I’d love to have a go too – but they won’t let me! Have I given them any tips? I just told them to relax – they were a bit tense!"

Do you think what they're doing is tough?

"It’s one thing dancing on Strictly with a professional partner, but dancing with a fellow actor, that’s hard and it isn’t an easy routine either. They’re dancing very nicely together – tremendous!"

What do you make of Matthew's dancing?

"He’s a strapping chap, I think the audience would love him and I don’t think any of the girls would mind dancing with him! He’s gone for demure black today though and I thought: 'Wasted opportunity there – you could have had something more glamorous!'"

How did you find it being a judge for once?

"I’ve been thinking about that and it’s shown how brilliant old Len [Goodman] is; he’s the best judge on telly. You have two types of judge. Either the Craig Revel-Horwood and Simon Cowell type, who are so rude that you can’t imagine how they get away with it, but they do because their personality allow them to. Then they come out with something nice and the world grinds to a halt because it has more impact when they say it.

"Then you’ve got other side – Len, who comes out with a funny line or turn of phrase. Anything in between those two ends of the spectrum is a bit grey and dull, so I think they’ve all got the whole judging thing down to a fine art. It’s easy to say something like 'You danced very well, you could relax more or hold your head up a bit' but other than that I thought you had a great go'. Great information but essentially dull!"

So how do you make good information sound interesting?

"It’s really difficult! Whether I’d be any good at it for real I don’t know."

Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini are returning to The X Factor. Are you worried what impact this might have on Strictly's viewing figures?

"I think them returning is probably good for their show. I know one thing: The X Factor is a better show with Simon Cowell on it. But I never get involved with the ratings battle because I never see The X Factor – I’m busy doing the best show on telly!"

How did you feel about Sir Bruce Forsyth leaving Strictly?

"Bruce has been a hero of mine since I was a boy watching him on telly. I just thought he was the greatest thing and he comes from a generation of entertainment that I like and I want to do. So when Strictly started, it was the biggest thrill when I heard Bruce was the host. Then a little way into it we did a song and dance number together, Me and My Shadow, and that’s still one of the highlights of my career because it ticked every showbiz box for me.

"Working with him has been a joy and we’ve become friends. I saw him the other day to play some golf and he’s happy with the decision, which is great. I just feel honoured that I can say: 'I spent 10 years working with Brucie, my hero.' It doesn’t get much better than that does it?"

After a decade hosting Strictly Come Dancing, Sir Bruce Forsyth has finally decided to hang up his disky bow and call it a day, which means the race to replace the 86-year-old in this year's series is on.

Bookmakers Paddy Power have already installed the BBC ballroom show regular Anton Du Beke as favourite to step into Sir Bruce's shoes and make him 7/4 to be the new co-host.

Graham Norton and John Barrowman are second favourites at 9/2 with Claudia Winkelman third favourite at 6/1. Meanwhile, Gethin Jones, Ronnie Corbett and Vernon Kaye (husband of current Strictly presenter Tess Daly) are all at 8/1.

Anyone who fancies an outsider to get the gig should look no further than former Strictly contestant Robbie Savage, who's currently rated by bookies at 66/1 to be the new Strictly host, while Russell Grant and John Sergeant - who have both taken to the dance floor with limited success in recent years - are 100/1 to get the nod.