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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Mia O'Hare

Strictly star set to take 'a break from all performing work just to be a dad'

A Strictly Come Dancing star is set to take "a break from all performing work" to spend time as a dad.

Pro dancer Kevin Clifton, 40, wants to focus on fatherhood following his Strictly exit.

The dad welcomed his first daughter Minnie with his dance partner Stacey Dooley earlier this year.

He explained: “I left Strictly Come Dancing and then Covid happened.

"Then since we came out of Covid I’ve sort of gone back-to-back with different shows non-stop. It went Singin’ in the Rain, Rock of Ages, The War of the Worlds, Burn the Floor.

"Then I did The Games on ITV, Who Do You Think You Are? and then back to Singin’ in the Rain on tour. Then I started rehearsals for Strictly Ballroom the day after I finished Singin’ in the Rain.”

Kevin is going to spend time being a dad (Instagram/sjdooley)
Kevin and Stacey welcomed Minnie in January (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Kevin told Digital Spy: “By the time I finish in mid-July it will have been a 10-month tour of Strictly Ballroom. So since we came out of Covid it’s just been back-to-back non-stop.

"So for the rest of this year I’ve decided I’m going to take a break from all performing work and just to be a dad. I just don’t want to miss any of Minnie. So yeah, my plan is to take a break as soon as this contract finishes.”

Kevin met documentary presenter Stacey on the BBC show as they won the 2018 series.

The dancer was married three times before he met Stacey, and the couple welcomed their first baby in January.

The presenter took to Instagram to announce she had given birth, sharing a sweet photo of an envelope revealing her daughter's Disney-inspired name.

Captioning the photo, Stacey wrote: "Our Daughter is here. My little masterpiece! I'm COMPLETELY OBSESSED. Love you Minnie, Love you Kev x."

Kevin also announced the happy news with the envelope, writing: "Our daughter is here. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. So proud of u @sjdooley. Love u Minnie , Love u Stace x."

Talk has already turned to welcoming another member of the family as he hopes Minnie could have a close bond with a younger sibling similarly to his relationship with his sister Joanne Clifton.

He said: "Stacey’s already talking about Minnie needing a brother or a sister. I can see us having more kids if we’re lucky enough and it happens for us, but Minnie is a handful as it is at the moment!

"It’s the idea of them being a little gang and having each other’s backs. Me and my sister are a little gang and have each other’s backs – that’s what we’d like for Minnie."

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