Strictly Come Dancing professional Kevin Clifton has broken his silence following continued stories about his relationship with former dance partner Stacey Dooley – speaking out on stage during stage show Burn The Floor. According to The Mirror, he publicly paid tribute to Stacey, telling the audience: "And thanks to Miss Stacey Dooley, I can finally say I'm the Strictly champion after six years of trying. It’s a miracle." He also touched on his recent personal struggles, adding that his return to the Burn The Floor had been a huge help.
Kevin and Stacey during their winning Strictly 2018 run
"In the last couple of years I've seen massive upheaval in my personal life and it hasn't always been easy," he added. "There have been a lot of things thrown at me. At times I've struggled. And the times I've struggled and I was in a bit of a rut I didn’t know what to do… But at that point Burn the Floor stepped in again and the producers gave me a call and said, 'Why don’t you come home.' So it felt right and I came home."
Susanna Reid opens up about the Strictly Curse and comes to Kevin Clifton's defence
Stacey has spoken out on her Twitter account about the romance rumours with Kevin. On Monday she posted: "Anyone with any adult life experience knows there are two sides to every story. I haven't got the time or energy to correct some of the utter nonsense I've read on here." She added: "Re Sam, I loved him v much and only wish him happiness and success going forward."
Stacey Dooley supports Kevin Clifton's new show following romance rumours
In an interview with The Sun, Stacey's ex-boyfriend Sam Tucknott revealed how he initially was supportive of Stacey and Kevin's working relationship and was rooting for them to win the show. However, he swiftly felt concerned after seeing text messages sent from Kevin, including one that read: "I love dancing with you and spending every minute I can with you." Kevin has not made any official statement on the matter.