Strictly scandal – have “new” couple Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton really been together for months?
As her ex admits he feels ‘gutted’ and ‘let down’
The Strictly curse strikes again!” is a headline that could apply to practically every year the dance show has been on our screens. And 2018’s case has recently reared its head, in the form of Kevin Clifton and Stacey Dooley. The winning couple are alleged to have been falling for each other as early as November (the final of the show was mid-december) after Sam Tucknott – Stacey’s now ex-boyfriend – claimed he noticed flirty texts from Kevin on Stacey’s phone. The personal trainer said he saw one appear on her phone that read, “I love dancing with you and spending every minute I can with you”.
It was revealed that Stacey, 32, and Sam, 30, had split in March – becoming the 14th couple to break up after the celebrity partner appeared on Strictly Come Dancing – but Stacey apparently insisted they had separated as early as Boxing Day. While they were clearing their Brighton flat last month, Sam claims that he saw a text on Stacey’s phone from Kevin,
saying, “I love you”, with a red heart emoji, which led to a row with her. Sam says he then Facetimed Kevin, 36, to confront him about his behaviour, recalling that, “He went white. I just stuck it on him, ‘You’re an absolute rat, how you conducted yourself. Just a slippery, slimy snake.’ He didn’t say a word, he looked petrified, so shocked.” Stacey then messaged Sam the following day in an attempt to justify her behaviour.
She wrote, “Sam, I know you hate me at the moment. But you saw I didn’t start entertaining and
texting him (Kevin) until I split up with you. I was not with you when we started it all. I did fall for him but when we were done. I will tell you anything you want to know.”
After Stacey and Kevin won the BBC show, rumours emerged about the couple – especially when the dance professional visited Stacey on the subsequent live tour, despite the fact he was starring in Rock Of Ages, and so wasn’t partnering Stacey any more. He was also pictured following her into a hotel after a tour date in Birmingham.
Sam has also stated that Kevin – who split from third wife Karen in March 2018 – has refused to meet to discuss the relationship “man to man”. In an interview in March, when asked if any of his Strictly partnerships had ever turned romantic, Kevin responded, “No, never. You’re there to do a job and get on with the dancing. That’s what it’s about.”
In 2013, Kevin was partnered with presenter Susanna Reid, who split from her partner a year later and, in 2016, the Grimsby dancer was paired with Louise Redknapp, who separated from her husband Jamie the following year. At the time, Kevin’s then-wife Karen was said to have got in touch with footballer Jamie to tell him, “Keep your wife away from my husband. She’s ruining our marriage.”
Just a couple of days after Sam told his story, Stacey responded with a tweet that read, “Anyone with any adult life experience knows there are two sides to every story. I haven’t got the time or energy to correct some of the utter nonsense I’ve read on here. Re Sam, I loved him very much, and only wish him happiness and success going forward.” n
‘I know you hate me at the moment’