Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Du Beke addresses tough family decision over career

Anton Du Beke revealed why he's decided to make a change to his Christmas work schedule. (Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Anton Du Beke has revealed that he's made the decision to take a step back from a festive job working on something his children "loved".

In an episode of the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, the much-loved Strictly Come Dancing judge opened up about why he's decided to make a change to his Christmas work schedule.

Antonstarred as Smee in a pantomime production of Peter Pan at New Victoria Theatre in Woking last year. But he and his wife, Hannah, have agreed he should try something different this year as doing panto is a "long time away".

Speaking about his children's response to the career, he said: "I mean I did panto for the last couple of years and they came to that and loved it and loved it, actually, really loved it. Interestingly enough, I wasn't quite sure how much they would, but they did; they loved the panto.

"The whole of Christmas goes. Two shows a day, every day. So, before and after Christmas. So I don't see them at all, and we made the decision this year that Hannah and I, at the end of last year, that we would not do it for a while."

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Anton previously starred as Smee in a production of Peter Pan at New Victoria Theatre (Image: Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

In December 2023, Anton told Express.co.uk that he was glad to work so close to home so he could spend time with Hannah and their twins, George and Henrietta.

He revealed that he wanted to perform the pantomime in a specific theatre due to it being "not too far" from his home, although he admitted he's played it "many, many times" with his own shows.

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Anton went on to say that he's "very fond" of the theatre but also opened up about the prospect of being away from his family at Christmas, saying it would be a "disaster".

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Anton and Hannah decided that he should take a break from panto (Image: Getty Images for the NTA's) SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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“And it means I’m still here for Christmas and I haven’t got to be in Sunderland or Newcastle or Blackpool, where I’d have to be away for months.

“That would be a disaster, I wouldn’t see them at all through Christmas." Anton has also previously opened up about the time he learned that his wife was expecting twins.

Speaking on the same podcast, he recounted the couple's IVF journey and how he was "stunned" by the news. He later described the touching moment when he heard the babies' heartbeats.

He said: "And he goes, 'Ah; there's one heartbeat', and I go, 'Where? ' And he's fiddling around and then he goes, 'Ooh; there's another heartbeat', and I was stunned. And I went...I say, it's a rude word; I apologise and I went, 'F**k me, babe'."