Strictly's Anton Du Beke reveals daughter's adorable nickname and newborn health battle

Stictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke has revealed his daughter's adorable nickname as he opened up on her newborn health battle.

The 58-year-old, who has been a Strictly staple since joining the BBC show in 2004, met his wife Hannah Summers at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey in 2012. The pair welcomed twins George and Henrietta, now seven years old, shortly after tying the knot in 2017.

Anton opened up about the couple's successful IVF journey on the Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast where he bravely spoke about his wife's "cruel" battle with endometriosis.

The star revealed that Hannah initially had doubts about their chances of parenthood due to her painful medical condition. However, Anton said that he felt "stunned" when the doctor delivered the good news that he could hear two heartbeats.

Speaking on the podcast, Anton said that Hannah was in hospital for a week after giving birth due to their daughter's small size, and revealed the touching reason behind Henrietta's adorable nickname.

He said: "I was coming to the end of my tour, Hannah gave birth on the Monday, the Tuesday I had a show, Wednesday I didn't have a show and came back. Thursday, Friday, Saturday I had shows.

"Sunday I came back and Hannah is still in hospital because the little one was a little little. Henrietta, we call her Ra-Ra because George, when he was little, couldn't say Henrietta so called her Ra-Ra. So she was a little little and they kept having to take blood tests and pin prick her heel."

Despite concerns over Henrietta's size, Anton said the week in hospital was a "bit of a blessing" as the couple coped with two new babies and Hannah recovered from surgery.

Anton admitted he felt "horrendous" leaving Hannah's side after giving birth to continue with the last few nights of his shows, but was relieved that help was "only a button away".

He said: "I just maintain the thought that whatever I felt was worse for Hannah, so you sort of get over yourself. I knew where I wanted to be but I do have an obligation to be here.

"You could say I've got a greater obligation to be with my wife, which I do. But then I was off, I had no shows or anything planned for about two months.

"It's just like everything, you've just got to get into it and once you get a bit of a routine sorted, you can sort of get on, but babies don't do routine."

Anton opened up about Hannah's endometriosis battle, calling it "peculiar, cruel, and inexplicable and unforgivable", but stressed the IVF journey brought him closer to his wife.