Strictly dancer takes break ‘from all performing work to be a dad’

Strictly Come Dancing alumni Kevin Clifton is to take "a break from all performing work" to spend time being a dad.

The 40 year old pro, who welcomed baby Minnie in January with TV presenter partner Stacey Dooley, said he “didn’t want to miss” seeing the little one grow up. Kevin and Stacey found love as they won Strictly as dance partners in 2018 thanks to their sizzling chemistry.

Kevin announced in March 2020 that he was leaving the show, saying he wanted to focus on "other areas of his career”. The Covid pandemic followed almost immediately but since the lockdowns ended, Kevin explained how he had gone “back-to-back” with different shows non-stop – including Singin’ in the Rain, Rock of Ages, The War of the Worlds and Burn the Floor.

He also did The Games on ITV and then started rehearsals for Strictly Ballroom the day after he finished a tour with Singin’ in the Rain.

Kevin told Digital Spy : “By the time I finish in mid-July it will have been a 10-month tour of Strictly Ballroom. So since we came out of Covid it’s just been back-to-back non-stop.

"So for the rest of this year I’ve decided I’m going to take a break from all performing work and just to be a dad. I just don’t want to miss any of Minnie.

“So yeah, my plan is to take a break as soon as this contract finishes.”

Kevin was married three times before he met Stacey, 35. In February, Stacey posted an adorable clip of Minnie and Kevin to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Earlier she had shared the first glimpse of Minnie on Instagram when she posted a gushing tribute to her boyfriend – as she also revealed pals had given her the savage nickname of "Anne of Cleves", who was the fourth of Henry VIII’s six wives.

This week, Kevin was left in tears after making a devastating discovery about a family ancestor on an upcoming episode of Who Do You Think You Are? In the BBC show, which sees celebrities delve into their family trees, Kevin was left feeling sickened when he found out that his great-great-great-grandfather John Russell was horribly abusive to his wife Grace.

The pair ended up having an "incredibly rare" public divorce at the time, which was put down to "Infidelity on the part of Mrs Russell”.

However, documents showed to Kevin detailed the fall out of their relationship and how Mr Russell had "struck his wife" and "blackened her eyes".

Last week, in an exclusive chat with OK! , Kevin and Stacey revealed they were already thinking about trying to have a little brother or sister for their little girl.

“Stacey’s already talking about Minnie needing a brother or a sister,” Kevin confided. “I can see us having more kids if we’re lucky enough and it happens for us, but Minnie is a handful as it is at the moment!”

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