Mum on Strictly girl’s career break
offered Stacey Dooley Investigates.” The 31-year-old has since gone on to become a standout star on BBC Three.
Her documentary series, which first aired in 2009, has covered subjects ranging from former child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Isis jihadis on death row.
And Diane is relieved her daughter will be waltzing around the ballroom instead of travelling the world making documentaries on dangerous subjects.
She said: “I’m glad she’s going into Strictly because at least it means she’ll be in this country where she’s going to
Stacey with mum Diane be safe, not in some far-flung country interviewing a lunatic.
“She doesn’t normally tell me about the dangerous places she’s going to – and she’s done some really scary things.
“She was airlifted from the Democratic Republic of Congo with malaria after investigating child soldiers, she interviewed the Mexican mafia, and has sat just feet away from an Isis member.
“I don’t know how she can be so brave. She believes these stories need to be told. She’s been offered counselling after witnessing these situations.
“But she hasn’t needed to take it up. Being with her family is the only therapy she needs. She’s pretty tough and is a real believer in fighting for what’s right.”
That toughness could be just what Stacey needs for Strictly – although Diane reckons her daughter has a “dancing gene” after being born in 1987, the year movie Dirty Dancing came out.
She said: “She was dancing and sashaying around to the music of Dirty Dancing when she was two, and carried on dancing to it as she grew up.
“Seven years ago she got tickets to Strictly and took me along to watch it. We were in the audience – we especially liked Robbie Savage.”
Stacey, of Luton, Beds, was born with a heart murmur but overcame it thanks to the NHS. Diane said: “She had to be monitored for it until the age of five.
“She really believes in the NHS and was so glad to be able to make a programme for the BBC about cardiac wards as part of the celebration of 70 years of the NHS.
“She’s very hard-working and has a hard work ethic. She can make fun of herself – but doesn’t suffer fools gladly.”
halina.watts@mirror.co.uk
I don’t know how she’s so brave… but she believes these stories do need to be told DIANE DOOLEY STACEY’S MUM ON TV DAUGHTER’S DOCUMENTARY SERIES