Anton Du Beke's sister reveals abuse star received for wanting to ...
ANTON Du Beke's sister has revealed how he was drunkenly abused by their father as a child because he dreamed of becoming a dancer.
The Strictly Come Dancing star, 57, was repeatedly called "gay" by his dad Antal who staunchly disapproved of his ballroom ambitions.
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He opened up about his tumultuous childhood in a heartbreaking interview for Kate Garraway’s Life Stories on ITV on Wednesday.
Anton's sister Veronica was in the audience as he discussed the trauma of his teen years at the hands of their Hungarian father.
She shared her recollection of her father's pursuit to stamp out her brother's ballroom spirit with cruel jibes and insults.
The 53-year-old said: "My dad, I don't think he was quite so impressed with Anton dancing, he used to call him gay.
"He took a turn against Anton. My dad's drinking affected his mood. He was mean. He was not a nice person when he was drunk."
The siblings were raised on a council estate in Sevenoaks, Kent, with their beloved mum Ascension and late father Antal.
But their younger years were blighted by their dad's excessive booze habit, which spurred his abusive outbursts.
Anton bravely revealed for the first time how he was once stabbed by Antal in a drunken rage on Boxing Day after a row.
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He told Kate: "It came to a head one evening. I ended up in hospital for three days. I got stabbed.
"This is the first time I’ve even mentioned it. I’m sure my friends and family don’t even know."
The telly favourite was visibly emotional as he recalled the incident with his "alcoholic father" that sealed the fate of their relationship.
He continued: "I remember walking out of the house to walk up to the hospital, holding my leg, and a police car drove past and I waved him down and I said, ‘He’s in there with a knife’."
A stunned Kate went onto applaud Anton for vowing not to let his upbringing define him and for pursuing his passion for ballroom.
She added: "And that is the thing, isn't it?
"That is the lesson that you want youngsters and other people who may be experiencing violent, difficult, disturbing lives to look at and think 'well, we can go forward and not let it define us'."
The Strictly judge has previously told how his father struck him with a belt at the family home, but had remained silent on the stabbing until now.
He explained his Spanish-born mother Ascension was working nights in a nursing home so was unable to protect him and his sister.
Anton's dad on the other hand was "drinking his money down the toilet" while mentally and physically abusing his son.
His parents eventually divorced in his early 20s, putting an end to the years of terror - and he never saw his father again.
In a bid to distance himself from Antal as much as possible, the dancer then changed his name from Anthony Beke.
Anton said the next time he heard about his father was during a phone call with a coroner in 2001, who informed him his dad had died.
He previously told The Times: "I knew why he was ringing, funnily enough. He asked if he could leave a message and I said no, call back.
"I knew he was going to tell me my father had died and I didn’t care. Or want to know. He was a stranger to me.
"That sounds a bit harsh and I don’t mean to sound like that. But I didn’t want to have to deal with it."
He did not attend his funeral and says he has "never given him [Antal] a second thought".
Despite being raised by an abusive father, Anton praises his mum for being a caring parent who was supportive of his career ambitions.
He explained Ascension worked three jobs so he could afford to have dance lessons.
The BBC star said his favourite thing about becoming a ballroom success is the "impact it has had on my mum".
“I love the fact people know I’m my mum’s son and people know my mum," he gushed. "My mum is fabulous and lovely."
Anton and Veronica also have a brother called Stephen.
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