Strictlys Anton du Beke fires back at outrageous boos on show

Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton Du Beke was delighted when he crossed over from his role as a dancer onto the show’s judging panel, gleefully pointing out that he now no longer gets voted out. However, being in the judging seat comes with its fair share of obstacles too, such as being booed.

The 56-year-old declared it “outrageous” while reflecting on the jeers he received from the audience last autumn.

“I didn’t love being booed. I’m allowed to not like stuff – I’m a judge!” He joked in a newly released interview with the Radio Times.

Anton admitted that he missed being with the “great bunch” of dancers on the other side of the podium, but that he wouldn’t relinquish his judging role to return as a contestant,

“I do love being a judge entirely, and it’s particularly lovely not being voted off,” he explained.

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Anton became a permanent member of the show’s judging panel back in 2021, after first joining the show as a dancer in 2004.

During his first year as a judge, his close pal Giovanni Pernice – who had already reached the final several times previously – made it to the top spot and clinched the trophy, along with the show’s first-ever deaf contestant, Rose Ayling-Ellis.

Anton and Giovanni have since gone on to achieve TV success together, in a three-part series for the BBC entitled Adventures In Sicily.

The programme will see the pair explore Mount Etna, check out the Italian island’s first-class cuisine, enjoy the sweltering sunshine and, of course, make time for a dance.

However, in spite of the intense filming schedule, Giovanni was adamant that, far from a work trip, their joint journey was “a holiday”.

Giovanni, whose family hail from the island, was in his element to be returning home, as he revealed to the Radio Times in this week’s joint interview with Anton.

“Taking my best friend to Sicily, one of the most beautiful places in the world, to meet my family, in summer – you tell me if that’s work,” he exclaimed.

However, Anton playfully shot back: “I slogged my guts out, I can promise you!”

Meanwhile, Giovanni has vivid memories of meeting his “handsome” co-star for the first time, back in 2015.

The Sicilian dance pro had arrived in England without yet mastering the language, and found him to be an excellent source of support.

Anton explained: “I speak fluent Italian, so I had no trouble conversing with him in his native tongue.”

Besides that, he introduced him to colloquial British phrases which he might not otherwise have picked up, such as “lovely jubbly” and “winner winner chicken dinner”.

Meanwhile, Giovanni might have described his pal as “handsome”, but Anton has gone a step further when it comes to reciprocating the praise, declaring him an “Italian stallion”.

Giovanni added that his first encounter with Anton was like “seeing God in real-life”.

More of the pair’s banter can be found in this week’s issue of the Radio Times, out now.

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