Kevin Clifton Explained

Kevin Clifton
Birth Name:Kevin James Clifton
Birth Date:13 October 1982
Birth Place:Waltham, Grimsby, England
Occupation:Dancer, actor
Education:Caistor Grammar School
Partner:Stacey Dooley (2019–present)
Children:Minnie Dooley
Family:Joanne Clifton (sister)
Known For:Strictly Come Dancing (2013–2019)

Kevin James Clifton[1] (born 13 October 1982) is an English professional dancer and actor who was a professional dancer on the BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing, having previously worked as an assistant choreographer.[2] He has also featured on Burn the Floor. He was given the nickname "Kevin from Grimsby" by Bruce Forsyth.[3] [4]

On 15 December 2018, Clifton won the sixteenth series of Strictly with his celebrity partner Stacey Dooley, who has been his girlfriend since 2019. Clifton appeared on Strictly from 2013 to 2019. He appeared in every year's final bar 2017's and 2019's. Clifton announced on 6 March 2020 that he wouldn't be returning to Strictly, saying that he wanted to focus on "other areas of his career."[5]

Early life

Clifton started dancing ballroom and Latin as a child in his home village of Waltham, in the town of Grimsby, taught by his parents, former World Champions Keith and Judy Clifton.[6] He competed nationally and internationally as a child initially partnering his sister Joanne.[7] Later, when they both chose to move on to different partners he chose Latin as his primary dance style so as not to directly compete against his sister.[8] He was a Youth World Number 1 and four time British Latin Champion and won International Open titles in Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Japan, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Belgium. At the time of his retirement from competitive dancing in 2007, he was ranked 7th in the world.

Career

In 2010, Clifton made his musical theatre debut in Dirty Dancing The Musical at the Aldwych Theatre in London's West End, where he partnered BBC1's So You Think You Can Dance winner, Charlie Bruce. From January 2008 to June 2013, Clifton and his future wife Karen Hauer were principal dancers of the Burn The Floor Dance Company, performing in the show's record breaking Broadway run, as well as starring at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London's West End. He also performed with the show in Japan, Australia, South Africa and the United States, as well as making guest appearances on Dancing with the Stars in the United States and So You Think You Can Dance in the Netherlands.[9] They rejoined Burn The Floor as principal dancers for a short tour of Australia and Japan in Spring 2014.

In 2015, Clifton appeared on Series 5 of Hacker Time.[10] [11]

In 2023, Clifton appeared in Aladdin for a Pantomime run set for six-weeks at Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre.[12]

Strictly Come Dancing

Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance

In 2013, Clifton appeared on series 11 of Strictly Come Dancing and was partnered with Susanna Reid. He had previously auditioned for the show with his partner Karen Hauer, but they had only needed a female dancer at the time, so he was instead employed as a choreographer for the show in 2012. In the 2013 Blackpool performance of the show he was joined in the opening dance by his family.[13] On the same show, Reid and Clifton scored 39/40 for their paso doble, putting them at the top of the leaderboard. He won the 2013 Strictly Come Dancing Pro Challenge[14] becoming the Guinness World Records holder for most Drunken Sailors in 30 seconds[15] The couple's popularity ensured they reached the final,[16] on 21 December, where they finished as runners up with Natalie Gumede behind model Abbey Clancy.[17]

In 2014's series 12 of Strictly Come Dancing Clifton was paired with pop star Frankie Bridge.[18] They were declared the runners-up with Simon Webbe beaten by Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev. In 2015, Clifton, recently married to co-professional dancer Karen Hauer, returned for the thirteenth series of the show and was partnered up with EastEnders actress Kellie Bright. Bright and Clifton scored a perfect 40 for their Tango and Showdance and eventually finished as joint runners up with Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice.[19]

Clifton has also taken part in the 'Strictly live tour'. For the 2014 tour he continued his partnership with series 11 partner, Susanna Reid. He was due to dance again with Frankie Bridge for the 2015 tour, but she had to pull out due to pregnancy, he instead danced with series 6 contestant Rachel Stevens. Clifton and Bridge were however reunited for the 2016 tour.

In 2016 Clifton again took part in Strictly Come Dancing, where he partnered singer and media personality Louise Redknapp. On 17 December 2016, Clifton became the first professional dancer in the show's history to compete in four consecutive finals; he was also the only professional dancer not to be in the dance-off. For the fourth time, Clifton finished as a series runner-up, after he and Redknapp lost out in the final result to Ore Oduba and Ore's partner (Kevin's sister), Joanne.

For series 15 in 2017, Clifton was partnered with Scottish comedian Susan Calman.[20] Calman expressed her great delight at the partnering with Clifton, of whom she is a fan.[21] They were eliminated on week 10, after a dance-off against Alexandra Burke and Gorka Márquez. This was the first time Clifton did not make it to the final.

For series 16, in 2018, Clifton was partnered with English television presenter and journalist, Stacey Dooley. The couple were the series winners.

He partnered TV host Anneka Rice for series 17, in 2019, they were the second couple to be eliminated after the judges chose to save David James and Nadiya Bychkova; making this Clifton's shortest series to date. He did however return to dance with former footballer Alex Scott for weeks 6 & 7 while Scott's normal partner Neil Jones was recovering from an injury to his calf muscle. Following this series, Clifton chose to quit the show to “focus on other projects”.

SeriesCelebrity partnerPlaceAverage
Score
11Susanna Reid2nd33.8
12Frankie Bridge35.1
13Kellie Bright34.1
14Louise Redknapp35.9
15Susan Calman7th23.3
16Stacey Dooley1st34.0
17 Anneka Rice14th14.7

Series 11 with celebrity partner Susanna Reid

Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResult
Revel HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Jive / "Shake a Tail Feather"777728No Elimination
2Tango / "Locked out of Heaven"788831Safe
3Viennese waltz / "Annie's Song"8 9 9 834Safe
4Samba / "Whenever, Wherever"778729Safe
5American Smooth / "On the Sunny Side of the Street"8 88832Safe
6Charleston / "Bad Moon Rising"889934Safe
7Waltz / "You Light Up My Life"999936Safe
8Paso doble / "Les Toreadors"9 10 10 1039Safe
9Cha-cha-cha / "Hound Dog"788831Safe
10Quickstep / "Good Morning"889833Safe
11Argentine tango / "Smooth Criminal"8 88832Safe
12Foxtrot / "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"9 9101038Safe
Salsa / "Move Your Feet"8 88832
13Quickstep / "Good Morning"9910937Runners-up
Freestyle / "Your Song"9 99936
Paso doble / "Les Toreadors"9 10101039

Series 12 with celebrity partner Frankie Bridge

Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResult
Revel HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Waltz / "Someone like You"778830No Elimination
2Charleston / "Happy Days"778830Safe
3Paso doble / "America"8 9 9 9351Safe
4Cha-cha-cha / "Call Me Maybe"888832Safe
5Foxtrot / "Daydream Believer"8 88832Safe
6Tango / "Defying Gravity"9991037Safe
7Samba / "La Bamba"789832Safe
8Quickstep / "Town Called Malice"8 9 10 1037Safe
9Viennese waltz / "What's New Pussycat?"99101038Safe
10Jive / "Surfin' USA"9 99936Safe
11Salsa / "Work"8 89934Safe
12Rumba / "Somewhere Only We Know"7 891034Safe
Argentine tango / "The 5th"9 9101038
13Samba / "La Bamba"9 10101039Runners-up
Freestyle / "Get Happy"9 9101038
Paso doble / "America"9 10101039

1 Week 3 featured Donny Osmond as a guest judge, he scored Frankie and Kevin a 10, making their official total 45

Series 13 with celebrity partner Kellie Bright

Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResult
Revel HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Tango / "You Really Got Me"677727No Elimination
2Cha-cha-cha / "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"677727Safe
3Charleston / "Cantina Band"8 8 8 832Safe
4Foxtrot / "Dream a Little Dream of Me"888832Safe
5Jive / "One Way or Another"8 99935Safe
6Paso doble / "School's Out"777728Safe
7Waltz / "Love Ain't Here Anymore"888832Bottom Two
8Samba / "Boom! Shake the Room"9 8 7 933Safe
9Quickstep / "9 to 5"9991037Safe
10Salsa / "I Want You Back"8 89934Bottom Two
11Viennese waltz / "Oom-Pah-Pah"9 99936Safe
12Rumba / "Songbird"9 89834Safe
American Smooth / "Let's Face the Music and Dance"9 10101039
13Tango / "You Really Got Me"10 10101040Runners-up
Freestyle / "The Ding-Dong Daddy of the D-Car Line"10 10101040
Charleston / "Cantina Band"9 10101039

Series 14 with celebrity partner Louise Redknapp

Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResult
Revel HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Jive / "Jump, Jive an' Wail"878831No Elimination
2Viennese waltz / "Hallelujah"888832Safe
3Cha-cha-cha / "Flashdance... What a Feeling"7 8 8 831Safe
4Foxtrot / "Tears Dry on Their Own"888933Safe
5Rumba / "Always on My Mind"8 88933Safe
6Charleston / "Crazy in Love"899935Safe
7Argentine tango / "Tanguera"910101039Safe
8American Smooth / "Big Spender"9 9 9 1037Safe
9Paso doble / "Explosive"99101038Safe
10Waltz / "At This Moment"9 10101039Safe
11Quickstep / "The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away!)"9 991037Safe
12Tango / "Glad All Over"
Samba / "Aquarela do Brasil"
9
9
9
9
9
9
10
9
37
36
Safe
13Cha-cha-cha / "Flashdance... What a Feeling"
Freestyle / "One Moment in Time"
Argentine tango / "Tanguera"
9
9
10
9
9
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
38
38
40
bgcolor=silverRunners-up

Series 15 with celebrity partner Susan Calman

Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResult
Revel HorwoodBussellBallasTonioli
1Viennese waltz / "Mad About the Boy"555520No Elimination
2Charleston / "If You Knew Susie"367622Safe
3Samba / "Wonder Woman Theme"4 5 5 620Safe
4Quickstep / "Bring Me Sunshine"778830Safe
5Cha-cha-cha / "Shout Out to My Ex"4 57N/A1161Safe
6Foxtrot / "Killer Queen"355518Safe
7Jive / "This Ole House"678829Safe
8Tango / "Firework"5 6 8 827Safe
9Paso doble / "Scott & Fran's Paso Doble"567725Safe
10American Smooth / "Beyond the Sea"4 65621Eliminated

1 In Week 5, Bruno Tonioli took a week off the show due to his work schedule.

Series 16 with celebrity partner Stacey Dooley

Week #Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResult
Revel HorwoodBussellBallasTonioli
1Quickstep / "Dancing"566623No Elimination
2Cha-cha-cha / "Came Here for Love"555621Safe
3Jive / "Happy"788831Safe
4Foxtrot / "Hi Ho Silver Lining"888933Safe
5Samba / "Tequila"8 799133Safe
6Tango / "Doctor Who theme"899935Safe
7Street/Commercial / "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down"999936Safe
8Waltz / "Moon River"8 8 8 832Safe
9Salsa / "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit"789933Safe
10Paso doble / "Malagueña"9 10101039Safe
11American Smooth / "I Dreamed a Dream"9 9101038Safe
12Charleston / "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue"
Viennese waltz / "You're My World"
9
8
10
9
10
10
10
9
39
36
Safe
13Foxtrot / "Hi Ho Silver Lining"
Freestyle / "Land of 1000 Dances"
Paso doble / "Malagueña"
9
8
10
10
9
10
10
9
10
10
10
10
39
36
40
bgcolor=goldWinners

1Alfonso Ribeiro stood as a guest judge in place of Bruno Tonioli

Series 17 with celebrity partners Anneka Rice & Alex Scott

Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResult
Craig Revel HorwoodMotsi MabuseShirley BallasBruno Tonioli
1Cha-cha-cha / "Gloria"343414No Elimination
2Waltz / "Run to You"455519Safe
3Charleston / "Woo-Hoo"2333Eliminated

After fellow professional Neil Jones was injured, Clifton also partnered professional footballer Alex Scott in weeks 6 and 7.

Week No.Dance/SongJudges' scoreTotalResult
Craig Revel HorwoodMotsi MabuseShirley BallasBruno Tonioli
6Street / "Ghostbusters"799934Safe
7American Smooth / "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"788831Safe

Dance tours and other professional engagements

In August 2017, Kevin & Karen Clifton announced they would be touring the UK again in 2018 with their theatre tour 'Kevin and Karen Dance', following their first nationwide tour in 2017.[22] He also played Stacee Jaxx in the 2018-19 UK Tour of Rock of Ages and in September 2022, starred in the UK Tour of Strictly Ballroom directed by Strictly Judge Craig Revel Horwood. From March to April 2022, he starred as the Artilleryman in the tour of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds.

Personal life

Clifton grew up in the small North East Lincolnshire town of Waltham, attending the East Ravendale Primary school, where he was notable for his Michael Jackson impressions. He later attended Caistor Grammar School, doing well academically before choosing to pursue his dance career rather than attend the sixth form.[23]

Clifton has been married three times.[24] His first marriage was to a dance partner when he was 20 years old. He then married professional dancer Clare Craze.[25] They split up in 2010 and their divorce was finalised in 2013. He then married fellow professional dancer Karen Hauer, having proposed to her on her birthday, on stage during a performance of Burn the Floor. They wed on 11 July 2015. On 15 March 2018, Clifton confirmed he and Karen Hauer were no longer together romantically.[26]

In 2019, it was confirmed that Clifton was dating his most recent Strictly Come Dancing celebrity partner Stacey Dooley. It was announced via Twitter on 26 August 2022 that they were expecting their first child together. [27] In January 2023, Dooley gave birth to their daughter.[28]

In June 2023, Clifton appeared on BBC One's Who Do You Think You Are?, where he discovered he was a direct descendant of Matooskie, an Indigenous Canadian woman.[29]

Business career

Clifton currently owns a property investment business with a friend, describing it in an interview as a 'second career'.[30]

Philanthropy

As well as taking part in various charity campaigns and visits in his role as a Strictly professional, Clifton is also a patron of the Wheelchair DanceSport Association[31] and the 2014 Dance Proms.[32] In September 2023, Clifton donated £1,050 to help pay staff wages at financially troubled Scunthorpe United.[33]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kevin James CLIFTON . Companies House . 2 September 2020.
  2. News: Local Dancers set Strictly Come Dancing Return. https://archive.today/20130908175216/http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/Local-dancers-set-Strictly-Come-Dancing-return/story-19767010-detail/story.html%23axzz2eJxBW01n. dead. 8 September 2013. 8 September 2013. Grimsby Telegraph. 7 September 2013.
  3. Web site: We Need To Talk About Kevin From Grimsby. BBC. 10 December 2013.
  4. News: Strictly Come Dancing's Kevin Clifton appears on BBC Breakfast. 10 December 2013. Grimsby Telegraph. 10 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131213142914/http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Strictly-Come-Dancing-s-Kevin-Clifton-appears-BBC/story-20302384-detail/story.html. 13 December 2013. dead.
  5. Web site: Strictly Come Dancing professional Kevin Clifton leaves the show. Earp. Catherine. 2020-03-06. Digital Spy. en-GB. 2020-03-06.
  6. Web site: Cliftons Dance Academy. 8 September 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130729093059/http://cliftonsdanceacademy.co.uk/index.php. 29 July 2013.
  7. News: Stage Star to put on Show in Grimsby. https://archive.today/20130908175155/http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/strictly-hall-room-dancer-comes-home/story-19316874-detail/story.html%23axzz2eJxBW01n. dead. 8 September 2013. 8 September 2013. Grimsby Telegraph. 18 June 2013.
  8. News: Strictly Come Dancing's Karen Hauer and Kevin Clifton: 'If you get that one shot, you must hang on to it'. 29 June 2014. The Telegraph. 27 June 2014.
  9. Web site: Karen Hauer and Kevin Clifton. World Dance Management. 8 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130917051648/http://www.worlddancemanagement.com/strictly-professional-karen-hauer-and-partner-kevin-clifton/. 17 September 2013. dead.
  10. Web site: Hacker Time – CBBC . BBC . 1 January 1970 . 22 December 2015.
  11. Web site: Guide . British Comedy . Hacker Time Series 5, Episode 5 - Kevin Clifton . 2023-12-22 . British Comedy Guide . en.
  12. Web site: 2023-08-25 . Marlowe Theatre reveals 2023 pantomime cast . 2023-12-22 . en-US.
  13. Web site: Kevin Clifton's family to feature in tonight's Strictly Come Dancing opening routine. Grimsby Telegraph. 26 November 2013. 16 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225138/http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Strictly-family-affair-Cliftons-popular-dance/story-20089675-detail/story.html. 2 December 2013. dead.
  14. Web site: It Takes Two:Pro Challenge 2013. BBC. 13 December 2013. 11 December 2013.
  15. Web site: Strictly It Takes Two Episode 54 Series 11 . BBC. 13 December 2013. 12 December 2013.
  16. Web site: Parents' pride as Kevin Clifton reaches Strictly Come Dancing final with Susanna Reid . Grimsby Telegraph . 17 December 2013 . 14 December 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131217230751/http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Parents-pride-Kevin-Clifton-reaches-Strictly-Come/story-20330987-detail/story.html . 17 December 2013 .
  17. Web site: Kevin Clifton on his way back to Grimsby after finishing as runner-up in Strictly Come Dancing final. 22 December 2013. 22 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131224094332/http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Strictly-Come-Dancing-Final-Kevin-Clifton-Susanna/story-20353721-detail/story.html. 24 December 2013. dead. Grimsby Telegraph .
  18. Web site: Celebrity partners revealed for Strictly Come Dancing siblings Kevin and Joanne Clifton. 8 September 2014. 7 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140908134345/http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Celebrity-partners-revealed-Strictly-Come-Dancing/story-22886689-detail/story.html. 8 September 2014. dead. Grimsby Telegraph .
  19. News: Strictly Come Dancing winner crowned. 20 December 2015. BBC. 20 December 2015. Strictly Winner Crowned, 2015.
  20. Web site: Calvin Robinson . Everything you need to know about Susan Calman - Kevin Clifton's Strictly partner - Grimsby Live . Grimsby Telegraph . 9 September 2017 . 3 June 2019.
  21. Web site: Strictly 2017: Susan Calman cries after being partnered with Kevin Clifton | Metro News . Metro.co.uk . 9 September 2017 . 3 June 2019.
  22. Web site: Information . Kevin and Karen Live . 3 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181008120507/http://kevinandkarenlive.com/information . 8 October 2018 . dead .
  23. Web site: Strictly Come Dancing Final: Pupils and staff at East Ravendale and Caistor schools pledge support for Kevin Clifton and Susanna Reid. Grimsby Telegraph. 23 December 2013. 21 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131224095426/http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/Good-luck-final-Kevin/story-20353045-detail/story.html#ixzz2oKELlxnV. 24 December 2013. dead.
  24. News: Inside Kevin Clifton's ex marriages as he announces THIRD divorce from Karen Clifton. Dear. Alice. 15 March 2018. OK! Magazine. 16 March 2018.
  25. Web site: Ballroom Champ makes a Blistering Broadway Debut in Burn The Floor. 13 August 2009. Broadway.com. 5 October 2013.
  26. News: Strictly Come Dancing's Kevin and Karen Clifton CONFIRM split live on the radio. Douglas. Nicole. 15 March 2018. OK! Magazine. 16 March 2018.
  27. Web site: Kevin Clifton addresses rumours.... 21 July 2020. Olivia Petter. The Independent. 24 December 2020.
  28. Web site: Battison . Jessica . BBC Strictly's Stacey Dooley gives birth to baby with Kevin Clifton as she announces gender and name . MyLondon . 17 January 2023 . 17 January 2023.
  29. Web site: Strictly's Kevin Clifton breaks down in tears over harrowing family discovery. Victoria. Johns. 13 June 2023. mirror.
  30. News: Strictly Come Dancing's Kevin Clifton just announced some very surprising career news . 3 December 2018 . Hello . 28 April 2018.
  31. Web site: Strictly's Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer to become patrons of the Wheelchair Dance Sport Association (UK) . Dancing-times.co.uk . 17 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150218003952/http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/dance-today-news/item/1447-strictlys-kevin-clifton-and-karen-hauer-to-become-patrons-of-the-wheelchair-dance-sport-association-uk . 18 February 2015 . dead .
  32. Web site: Patrons 2014 . Dance Proms . 17 February 2015.
  33. News: Buckingham . Philip . Fans raise £60k in 48 hours to pay Scunthorpe’s wages: ‘We’ll keep fighting, we’re not dead yet’ . 2 October 2023 . The Athletic . 2 October 2023.