When I heard Craig was directing Strictly Ballroom, I thought I was never going to get the role...
Kevin Clifton tells MARION McMULLEN why his dream of starring in his favourite show is finally coming true
The pandemic caused the entire Strictly Ballroom tour to be postponed. Did you worry it might never happen?
IT was meant to happen in September, that was the original plan, and, to be honest, the production was the main factor why I decided to leave Strictly Come Dancing.
I’ve dreamed of doing Strictly Ballroom since I was a kid. I watched the film when I was 10 years old.
It was about a kid doing ballroom, whose parents danced, and I just felt it was my story and the lead character, Scott Hastings, was a bit of a hero of mine.
I remember telling my parents ‘One day they’ll make a stage show and I’m going to play Scott Hastings’. I feel like I’m finally going to fulfil a lifelong dream.
How often have you seen the movie?
(LAUGHS) I’ve seen it hundreds of times. I’m not exaggerating.
When I was competing we used to have Strictly Ballroom parties and we used to dress up, put on the film and act out all the parts in the living room.
I was ALWAYS Scott Hastings. We’d bring the props out and get all made up.
When I was told what scene they wanted for the audition for the tour I said ‘I know it’. I checked to see the script hadn’t been changed and it was exactly as I remembered it.
How did you feel when you heard Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood was directing the production?
I WANTED to give everything I had for the audition, but he was in Australia, so they asked me to do a tape. I did it in my dressing room and sent it off to him and hoped it was OK. He came back saying he loved it and offered me the job. I think I jumped up and down I was so excited. (Laughs) I still have the audition on my mobile phone.
When I heard he was directing I thought I was never going to get the role. He was always harsh to me and my celebrities on Strictly and I thought I couldn’t catch a break.
I went to him at the bar after one show and asked what we had to do to impress him and he said ‘Dharling, you’ve got to dance better’.
I’ve become obsessed about Strictly this series and have been talking about it on my podcast and on Twitter. I’ve been sitting there on the sofa, eating pizza and loving every minute.
Has it been difficult keeping in shape during lockdowns? WHEN we went into the first lockdown I’m not sure I stayed fit at all. I decided I was going to have a break, take things easy and chill and watch films.
Then the first time I went for run I was really gasping within 10 to 15 minutes and I thought ‘this has got to change’ so like everyone I’ve been doing workouts online and watching Joe Wicks and from the summer I’ve got back to normal.
Were you prepared for the overwhelming popularity of Strictly when you first joined?
I DIDN’T realise quite how many people love it and talk about it.
In my head, it was always my mum and dad and their friends who watched it, but it’s amazing how many people love it.
I went to school in Grimsby with a friend called Sam and I would turn up on Monday with an orange neck from the tan from the ballroom competitions I was doing. Now he’s texting me saying ‘I’m not sure about Clara’s arms in the samba’.
(Laughs) I remember going to a Russell Brand gig in Grimsby and he had a screen on stage and was filming the audience.
Some girl in the front row saw me and shouted ‘That’s Kevin from Strictly’ and I thought ‘Oh, no, it’s
his gig, he’s going to find this annoying’ but he said ‘What? Where? I love Strictly and I love Kevin’ and he got me up on stage and we danced and we’ve been friends ever since.
What was it like when you and your partner Stacey Dooley were crowned Strictly champions?
I HAD reached the final four times by then and never won. I thought it was never going to happen.
I had been nervous during finals in the past, but on that night with Stacey I didn’t think for one second we were going to win so I was quite calm and was waiting for them to say someone else.
We were bottom of the leader board and I was waiting to say ‘Well done’ to one of the other couples.
I always felt I was nearly there but it was never meant to be.
I was not expecting it and when Tess said our names I went into shock. Stacey had her head in her hands and her mum invaded the stage.
We were both still in our paso doble costumes and I wearing a bolero jacket so it was a massive Scott Hastings sort of Strictly Ballroom moment. Fantastic.
I always felt I was nearly there but it was never meant to be... I was waiting for them to say someone else
Kevin on winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2018
■ Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical tours from September 27. For details see strictlyballroomtour.co.uk