Anton Du Beke of Strictly Come Dancing thinks that his stunning statement about being stabbed by his father would inspire others.
Earlier this month, the Strictly Come Dancing judge, 57, disclosed that as a young man, his drunken father stabbed him in the leg and stomach.
Anton spent three days in the hospital after the assault and broke down in tears while speaking about it on Kate Garraway’s Life Stories.
Many people rallied around Anton after he shared his tale with the public, which he now describes as “incredibly touching.”
‘It wasn’t something I planned to talk about… it just sort of came out,’ he said.
‘But I’ve had some lovely responses. People have sent me lovely messages, which is the loveliest thing.’
He has recently stated that he is happy to have been told that he is assisting others.
‘If people, or someone, take courage from it, then that’s a good thing,’ he added when speaking to The Mirror.
Anton has revealed which competitor he is most thrilled to watch on the dance floor in the upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing, his second as a judge.
‘I’m looking forward to seeing Angela Rippon,’ he said about the 79-year-old broadcaster who will make history as the show’s oldest ever contestant.
‘It’s a tremendous line-up. I’m visiting the studio in a few days and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s first outing,’ he added.
Anton detailed his upbringing by his Spanish mother and Hungarian father, who ‘took a turn’ towards Anton when alcoholism overtook him, when speaking about the trauma he experienced as a youngster on Life Stories.
Struggling to hold back tears, he shared: ‘You’ve got an alcoholic father and a situation where if you’re in the house (he’s) drinking then you end up with the fights and stuff.’
His father was cleared in court of wounding his son and when he died, Anton did not attend his funeral.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC later this year.