5 Minutes With…
COMMUNITY
Anton Du Beke
Anton Du Beke, star of TV’s Strictly Come Dancing, brings his new show, An Audience with Anton Du Beke, to The Churchill Theatre on 22nd May. We managed to grab a few minutes with Anton to find out more about the show and his memories of Bromley… Anton, congratulations on the new show! Can you tell us a bit more about it?
It’s an audience with me and we’re just going to have a lovely time with conversation, laughter, great songs and dance. I’ve got a great band with me and Lance Ellington’s going to join me to do a few songs – he’s just brilliant. I’ve got a couple of partners to do a couple of dances with me and we’ll have a bit of a chat with the audience.
Is there anything in particular you’re looking forward to with the new show? I like to get interactive with the audience so I’m going to ask the audience to text me their questions to a mobile phone. Then, throughout the show I’ll get the phone out to answer some of them - I’m looking forward to that part!
Do you have any memories of the Churchill Theatre? I’ve never performed at the Churchill; I feel like it’s a place I should have done, so I’m looking forward to this. I’ve rehearsed there before, right at the beginning of Strictly. There’s also the Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks, where I’m originally from, and I’ve never performed there either.
What about your memories of Bromley? I used to live in Sevenoaks, but I spent a lot of time in Bromley. We used to do our Christmas shopping there. When they opened The Glades it was quite the thing and I remember it fondly.
Who would you say has been a great inspiration on your career? I used to have lessons from a great teacher in Beckenham – John Del-Roy, who has sadly passed away now. He’s the reason that I am the sort of dancer I am because he had a life-changing influence on me.
One of our valued advertisers in the magazine is The Bed Post. A little dicky bird told us you used to work at the Petts Wood branch – tell us more!
lifeinmagazines.co.uk
Yes, that’s true. I worked in the Bed Post in Petts Wood and I also worked in the
shop on Station Approach in Hayes. When I was in Petts Wood I once lay on a bed with a customer. Rarely does anybody try a bed in the way they are going to use the bed. They prod it or sit on it, so when I was selling this bed to a lady, I suggested that she lie on the bed. She said she didn’t want to, but I said, “There’s no one here, just lie on the bed.” Anyway, she got on the bed and started to relax. Then she said, “Of course you know I don’t lie on the bed alone. My husband lies on it as well.” So I said, “Well which side do you lie on? Move over!” After trialling out the bed together she went and bought it!
Where do you live now? And would you say community spirit is an important part of what makes an area great? I think community is very important, it’s vital actually. I live in Buckinghamshire and we’re so fortunate as we’ve got the most wonderful neighbours and a wonderful community of parents who do the school run. It’s lovely to see children popping round to each other’s homes for tea and I think that support system of friends and family is vitally important, particularly for children.
When you’re not working Anton, what do you enjoy doing? When I was growing up I was out playing sport all the time. Now I play golf and I like to play tennis when I get the time.
Finally, have you had to explain to your children what ‘dad dancing’ means to other people? Ha ha, yes. They don’t understand dad dancing in the way other children understand dad dancing! They think dad dancing should be magnificent. I’m very comfortable with the concept of ‘dad dancing’ because I can win that competition!
An Audience with Anton Du Beke takes place at Churchill Theatre in Bromley on Sunday May 22nd at 3pm. Call 0343 310 0020 or see churchilltheatre.co.uk to book.
May 2022 Life in... Orpington 21
