Strictly’s Anton Du Beke gloats he can finally win as partner Emma Barton ‘has her own teeth’
STRICTLY pro Anton Du Beke has insisted this could be his year to grab the Glitterball trophy - because partner Emma Barton has "got her own teeth".
The 53-year-old star, who has been twinned with a parade of older ladies for years, told the : "I’m very excited about this one."
He added: "Emma’s tall, gorgeous and talented. She’s an absolute dream and, I’ve got to be honest, younger than I’m used to."
Then, in a dig at some of his previous partners, he added: "And she’s got her own teeth. That’ll do for me.”
Anton is unaccustomed to being partnered with someone as young as 42-year-old EastEnders star Emma, who plays Honey Mitchell.
He has been paired with 71-year-old Brexit party MEP Ann Widdecombe, 73-year-old Birds Of A Feather star Lesley Joseph and 79-year-old That's Life legend Esther Rantzen.
Indeed, Anton has only made it to the final twice - coming third with singer Lesley Garrett in 2004 and fourth with TV presenter Katie Derham in 2015.
Meanwhile, Anneka Rice, who is paired with Kevin Clifton, said she was too terrified to tell even her three sons Thomas, 30, Josh, 29, and Sam, 19, she was doing the show.
The 60-year-old told the Radio Times: "When the call came, I didn’t tell a soul. The idea was so ludicrous I couldn’t even say it aloud.
"Awkwardly, my sons found out about me doing Strictly when it was plastered all over the press. Instead of the horror I was expecting, their reaction was glorious.”
Rower James Cracknell told the magazine he made the mistake of trying to outsmart his dance partner Luba Mushtuk.
The 47-year-old explained: “To impress Luba, I watched some videos and made notes - get me - then suggested that we try it my way.
"We did so, for one time only, until she pointed out, 'I am right over 100 per cent of the time.'"
Table tennis champion Will Bayley even thinks doing Strictly could be just the ticket to propel him to gold when the Olympic and Paralympic Games travel to Japan in 2020.
The 31-year-old explained: "It’s a year before the Tokyo Games, so now is just the right time for me to do Strictly. I want to win a gold medal, and I think this will help with my table tennis training.
"I’m learning a lot about my body – my balance is improving. With my physical condition [arthrosis, a muscle condition affecting all four limbs] it’s a massive test of balance, but in every single training session I’ve felt like I’m getting better."
Favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing this year is football pundit and former England footballer Alex Scott.
She is partnered with Neil Jones, who last week told fans not to vote for his ex wife Katya, saying: "Seriously, she's had three years of votes. You can give them to me and Alex."
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