‘Meeting Brucie was the only time i’ve Been starstruck!’

Strictly judge and NTAS winner Anton Du Beke shares his dream of following in Bruce Forsyth’s footsteps and “doing wonderful things”

Anton Du Beke may be the latest king of light entertainment following his recent win at the National Television Awards but he is has already set his sights on even bigger things.

“Don’t stop dreaming. You have got to keep dreaming,” says the 56-year-old Strictly Come Dancing star in his first interview since beating fellow nominees Rupaul, David Walliams and Mo Gilligan for the Best Talent Show Judge award at this year’s star-studded ceremony.

He goes on, “Now I have another dream and that’s to play the London Palladium, where Sir Bruce [Forsyth, his idol] began his career. This is a dream of mine. I have got a date booked for autumn next year and it will be an evening with me and dance.

“I have dreams of doing wonderful things. I have these wonderful things that I want to do. It all sounds so self-obsessed but it’s my love, my passion. I have done a show at the Royal Albert Hall and I would love to do that again too.

“Brucie was the ultimate and I spent a lot of time with him. I was very starstruck the first time I met him. That was the moment, and the only moment, that I was starstruck.

“I mean, I have been in the studio with Beyoncé, for heaven’s sake, and Kylie Minogue and Michael Bublé. I have kissed Michael on the cheek and I have danced in front of Andrea Bocelli.

“But I remember the first time I met Brucie. He was a hero of mine and one of the reasons that I did Strictly was because of him.”

After Anton followed his own heroes into showbiz, his fiveyear-old twins George and Henrietta could be similarly inspired. He says they are his