Anton du Beke

Give up smoking. Don't get so fat. So much illness is self-induced - which I can't stand. And I'm not a good nursemaid. Don't call me if you're ill.

Too many multi-vitamins are packaged as one size fits all, but you should be more specific about what you need. When I was competing as a dancer, I took zinc for healthy skin and immune system.

The Fred Astaire movies made a huge impression on me.

I've been playing golf as long as I've been dancing, since I was 13 or 14.

I don't mind how good or bad my partner is, as long as we have a lovely time.

If things don't go fantastically, you just have to deal with it.

I got sent some cheese once. I'm not sure if that was saying something about my act, or just because I like cheese.

As soon as I left school at 16, I worked in a factory making aircraft components.

The thing about me is that I love variety. I like to try new things, and I don't want to be pinned back.

I'd like to do a kind of 'Sunday Night At The Palladium'-style variety show on the BBC.

You spend your life having lessons, practising and competing as an amateur, and working during the day. As you get to the top end of the amateur field, you try not to work anymore; you earn your living through dancing, maybe by doing a bit of teaching. It's an ongoing life's work.

My old dance teacher, Jimmy Wilde, a former European ballroom dancing champion, was so sophisticated.

Ballroom dancing: it's a wonderful thing at so many levels because you've got to follow the rules. They used to call those rules etiquette once upon a time, but you don't really have that any more.

Mum was always hard-working. She came over from Spain and bought her own council house.

Because we had no money when I was growing up, when I started dancing, I wasn't allowed to be frivolous - my mum made me go to every lesson because she was paying for it.

Being a competitive dancer is an expensive business - you have to buy the £2,000 or so tail suit and the shoes, and then get yourself around the world to the competitions. And there is not a lot of money to be made in competing.

It may sound cliched, but 'Strictly' is a real journey. I try to encourage my partner to stay in as long as they can, but above all to enjoy it.

I went professional with my partner, Erin Boag, 11 years ago, and we had success competing round the world, but appearing on 'Strictly' has changed my life.

I've never worried about being rich or famous - for me, it's all about the dancing.

I just get grumpy with bad behaviour.

I don't get grumpy at a 'Strictly' level, you understand. We're just making a television show - the person I'm dancing with can't dance; they're doing their best, and we're not going to win the World Championships.

A dancer's career is short - you just keep going until your legs pack up.

One day, I just wandered into a dance class full of girls, and that was it. I thought, 'Hang on! I'll have a bit of this.' I went back a week later and got dragged up by the teacher. It wasn't a massive calling.

You can't talk about yourself in the third party - that makes you a lunatic!

Since being involved in 'Strictly Come Dancing,' my life has changed completely. I can't walk down the street without women throwing themselves at me, I usually wouldn't mind, but they are of a certain age. Hopefully, after this series, they will bring their daughters!

I don't like the Samba; it's nonsense. With a lot of these Latin dances I can't really understand what they're all about. I like the Rumba and the Paso Doble but the others I could take or leave.

Ballroom is two people dancing together to music, touching in perfect harmony.

I'm a bit of a traditionalist; the ballroom is all about tails and I never mess about with that. But for the Latin you can have a bit fun: tight trousers, gold shirt open to my waist, be a bit ridiculous.

It's great that ballroom dancing is being recognised. For many years ballroom dancers were misunderstood and other dance forms didn't want anything to do with us.

I'm busier than ever and it's led to new opportunities. But I've never worried about being rich or famous - for me, it's all about the dancing.

If I do find myself walking up the aisle and dancing at my own wedding reception, I want the first dance to be both spontaneous and dramatic.

My favourite dance is the Foxtrot. It's a proper dance with proper music. It has class.

I've become a produce snob. I like to eat food that's in season.