Stacey Dooley had an awkward confession for partner Kevin Clifton after admitting she fancied another Strictly Come Dancing professional. Stacey, 38, met Kevin when they were partnered on the show together in 2018.
Their relationship blossomed and the pair confirmed they were together in 2019. They now share daughter Minnie, reports Devon Live.
It would seem Kevin was not Stacey’s original Strictly crush. She admits that years before taking part in the show, she shared a social media post saying fellow professional Aljaz Skorjanec was “stunning”.
Speaking on the Parenting Hell podcast with comedians Josh Widdicombe and Rob Beckett, Stacey said: “Aljaz is crazy handsome, he’s like a statue. There’s a really funny tweet that someone obviously unearthed.
“I sent a tweet a hundred years ago, before I did the show, and Kev and Aljaz started at the same time, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, that new boy is stunning’ and I was referencing Aljaz.
“And then somebody found it and Kev was like, ‘See, you always fancied me’, and I was like, ‘Babe, that was about Aljaz.”
Stacey went on to say that Kevin is not the “immediate choice” for women when asked to pick their Strictly choice. Josh described the 42-year-old as “like a computer programmer who has gone on a 12-week body transformation”.
To which Stacey responded: “You look at Gorka [Márquez], yeah he’s handsome, they’re all obviously handsome. There’s something about Kev, he’s so nonchalant, and a bit aloof.
“He’s the nerd of the gang that you’re so desperate for him to like you. Because he has been surrounded by beautiful women his entire life, he’s not easily impressed, so you have to have a bit of chat.”
Both Aljaz and Kevin joined Strictly in 2013. When the pair made their debut on the show, Stacey tweeted: “OMG! That new guy?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!?!?!?!?! I likey! God I love Strictly!” (sic)
Fast forward to 2020, Kevin shared this tweet on his Instagram, saying: “Someone posted this on Twitter! @sjdooley in 2013 tweeting about @bbcstrictly. Two new boys were announced that year.
“Either we have just uncovered evidence that Stacey has fancied me for years… Or… The other boy was … @aljazskorjanec.”
Kevin’s post was accompanied by the monocle emoji. Stacey, a filmmaker, jokingly replied: “@jmanrara is gonna kill me….”
Aljaz has been married to fellow Strictly dancer Janette Manrara since 2017. The couple, who got engaged two years prior, are now parents to daughter Lyra.