Kingsclere Vets thanked by Strictly Come Dancing star after pet suffers ‘traumatic’ ordeal

A Strictly Come Dancing judge was distressed when one of his pets fell ill last week – until a North Hampshire veterinary clinic stepped in to help.

Anton Du Beke, a professional dancer and judge on the hit BBC One show, was forced to rush his pet to Kingsclere Vets last week after it suffered a mystery illness.

The practice, which opened earlier this year, declined to comment about the case.

But in a moving online tribute, Du Beke shared his gratitude for the staff’s “brilliant” care and support throughout the “traumatic” ordeal.

The 58-year-old star, who recently visited Hungerford Bookshop to promote his debut children's book, said of the ordeal:

"Now, I don’t normally do this, but I just wanted to do this because I feel compelled to say a huge thank you to Laura Knapp and everybody at Kingsclere Vets.

“They are remarkable. As you know, we’ve got small animals. We’ve got dachshunds and a cat.

“But sometimes they become unwell, and it can be quite traumatic and not a pleasant experience.

“But everybody there, Laura and the team at Kingsclere, was so wonderful and so brilliant that I just wanted to say a huge thank you to them.”