Stacey Dooley spoke about her encounter with David Dimbleby at an award ceremony, during a recent instalment of Angela Scanlon’s Thanks A Million podcast. The Strictly Come Dancing winner admitted she thought it was a “wind-up” after the 80-year-old Question Time host mentioned her on the National Television Awards stage. The 32-year-old branded him a “complete hero” as she recalled what happened and how she felt on finding out he was a fan of hers. “Talk us through it,” Angela, 35, started. “We’re at the NTA’s, Dimbles is on stage… Directly off the back of the Strictly win so it’s quite the moment…”(sic)
Stacey was crowned the winner of Strictly in December alongside now boyfriend Kevin Clifton, after starting out in TV in 2008’s Blood, Sweat and T-shirts.
The star replied: “I’ve got this lovely dress that I’d been loaned. Really felt the part. And David Dimbleby came on stage, I think it was like lifetime achievement award, and obviously I’ve been watching Question Time for years, you know?
“I love it so much and he’s always been a complete hero. So inspiring. So he goes to the microphone and he’s like ‘I’m just so excited to be here.”
She then continued, quoting David: “‘But I’m most excited about the fact that I met Stacey Dooley’. Everyone must have been like, has he had a f**king lobotomy?
“He said, ‘I know that you all know her because she’s like this dancer but I know her for her incredible documentaries etc.’ I just…”
David took home the Special Recognition gong in January, the same year as Strictly was crowned the best talent show.
Stacey said: “Then I met him and his wife backstage and his wife came up to me – I’m assuming that it’s his wife.
“But a lady that he was with came up to me and was like, ‘Honestly, he watches you all the time… he really likes what you’re about and what you do’.
“You know one of those moments when you think, am I on candid camera here? Is this a wind-up? Because whenever people like that, who I really rate, say nice things – I’m just full of joy.”
After starting out in the BBC Three doc, she has gone on to front her own offering: Stacey Dooley Investigates.
During her chat with Angela, Stacey also opened up about a “horrible” moment in the BBC competition which she struggles to think about.
Meanwhile, it comes just days after Stacey’s beau Kevin Clifton was rejected by co-star Anton Du Beke.
The latter joined Chris Evans, 53, on his Virgin Radio Breakfast Show this week, where the veteran revealed he declined his help.
The ballroom professional was quizzed by the host about what Kevin was up to now that he was no longer on the show with celebrity partner Anneka Rice, 61.
Anton replied: “He said ‘If you need anything, let me know’.
You can download Angela Scanlon’s Thanks A Million podcast now on iTunes and Acast.