Kevin Clifton facts for kids

Kevin James Clifton, born on October 13, 1982, is a famous English professional dancer and actor. Many people know him from the BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing. On the show, he was a professional dancer and even worked as an assistant choreographer before that. He also performed in a show called Burn the Floor. Fans and even TV host Bruce Forsyth gave him the fun nickname "Kevin from Grimsby".

Kevin was a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing from 2013 to 2019. He made it to the final almost every year! He won the show in 2018 with his celebrity partner Stacey Dooley. They have been a couple since 2019. In March 2020, Kevin shared that he was leaving Strictly. He wanted to try new things in his career.

Since leaving Strictly, Kevin has performed in many stage shows. These include the UK tours of Strictly Ballroom and Chicago.

Early life and dance training

Kevin Clifton started dancing when he was a child. He learned ballroom and Latin dancing in his hometown of Waltham, near Grimsby. His parents, Keith and Judy Clifton, were both former World Champion dancers and taught him.

As a child, Kevin competed in dance contests all over the world. He first danced with his sister, Joanne. Later, they decided to dance with different partners. Kevin chose Latin dance as his main style. This way, he wouldn't compete directly against his sister. He became the Youth World Number 1 in Latin dance.

Dance career and achievements

Kevin Clifton has won the British Latin Champion title four times. He also won 14 International Open titles in many countries. These include Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Japan, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, and Belgium. When he stopped competing in 2007, he was ranked 7th in the world.

From 2008 to 2013, Kevin and his future wife, Karen Hauer, were lead dancers in the Burn The Floor Dance Company. They performed on Broadway and in London's West End. They also toured Australia and Japan with the show in 2014.

In 2017, Kevin and Karen Clifton announced a new UK tour for 2018. It was called 'Kevin and Karen Dance'.

Strictly Come Dancing journey

Kevin Clifton joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 for series 11. His first partner was Susanna Reid. Before this, he had tried out for the show with Karen Hauer. At that time, they only needed a female dancer. So, Kevin worked as a choreographer for the show in 2012.

During the 2013 Blackpool show, Kevin's family joined him for the opening dance. In the same show, Susanna and Kevin got a score of 39 out of 40 for their Paso Doble. This put them at the top of the leaderboard. Kevin also won the 2013 Strictly Come Dancing Pro Challenge. He set a Guinness World Records for the most "Drunken Sailors" dance moves in 30 seconds. Kevin and Susanna were very popular and reached the final. They finished as runners-up.

In 2014, for series 12, Kevin danced with pop star Frankie Bridge. They also finished as runners-up. In 2015, Kevin was partnered with EastEnders actress Kellie Bright for the thirteenth series. Kellie and Kevin scored a perfect 40 for their Tango and Showdance. They ended up as joint runners-up.

Kevin also took part in the Strictly live tour. For the 2014 tour, he danced with Susanna Reid again. In 2015, he was supposed to dance with Frankie Bridge. But she couldn't join because she was pregnant. So, he danced with series 6 contestant Rachel Stevens instead. Kevin and Frankie danced together again for the 2016 tour.

In 2016, Kevin partnered with singer Louise Redknapp for Strictly Come Dancing. On December 17, 2016, Kevin made history. He became the first professional dancer to be in four finals in a row! He was also the only professional dancer not to be in the dance-off that year. For the fourth time, Kevin finished as a runner-up. He and Louise lost to Ore Oduba and Kevin's sister, Joanne.

For series 15 in 2017, Kevin danced with Scottish comedian Susan Calman. Susan was very happy to be partnered with Kevin, as she was a big fan. They were eliminated in week 10. This was the first time Kevin did not make it to the final.

In 2018, for series 16, Kevin was partnered with TV presenter Stacey Dooley. They became the winners of the series!

He partnered TV host Anneka Rice for series 17 in 2019. They were the second couple to be eliminated. This was Kevin's shortest time on the show. However, he returned to dance with former footballer Alex Scott for two weeks. This happened while Alex's usual partner, Neil Jones, was recovering from an injury. After this series, Kevin decided to leave the show to work on other projects.

Stage career

In 2010, Kevin Clifton started his musical theatre career. He performed in Dirty Dancing The Musical in London's West End. He danced with Charlie Bruce, who won So You Think You Can Dance.

Kevin played Stacee Jaxx in the 2018-19 UK Tour of Rock of Ages. From March to April 2022, he was the Artilleryman in Jeff Wayne's musical version of The War of the Worlds. In September 2022, he starred as Scott Hastings in the UK Tour of Strictly Ballroom. This show was directed by Strictly Judge Craig Revel Horwood. In 2023, Kevin appeared in Aladdin for a Pantomime show. It ran for six weeks at Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre.

Kevin is currently playing Billy Flynn in the 2024-25 UK tour of Chicago.

Personal life and family

Kevin grew up in Waltham, a small town in North East Lincolnshire. He went to East Ravendale Primary school. He was known for his Michael Jackson impressions there! Later, he attended Caistor Grammar School. He did well in his studies but chose to focus on his dance career instead of continuing to sixth form.

Kevin has been married three times. His first marriage was to a dance partner when he was 20. He then married professional dancer Clare Craze. They separated in 2010, and their divorce was completed in 2013. After that, he married fellow professional dancer Karen Hauer. He proposed to her on her birthday during a Burn the Floor performance. They got married on July 11, 2015. On March 15, 2018, Kevin confirmed that he and Karen were no longer together as a couple.

In 2019, it was confirmed that Kevin was dating Stacey Dooley. She was his celebrity partner from Strictly Come Dancing. In January 2023, Stacey gave birth to their daughter.

In June 2023, Kevin appeared on the BBC One show Who Do You Think You Are?. On the show, he found out he was a direct descendant of Matooskie, an Indigenous Canadian woman.

Kevin supports Scunthorpe United football club. He goes to their games when he can.

Business and charity work

Kevin Clifton owns a property investment business with a friend. He has called it a 'second career'.

Kevin also helps with charity work. As a Strictly professional, he took part in many charity campaigns. He is a patron of the Wheelchair DanceSport Association and the 2014 Dance Proms. In September 2023, Kevin donated £1,050 to help pay staff wages at Scunthorpe United, which was having financial difficulties.

See also

In Spanish: Kevin Clifton para niños