‘I Couldn’t Understand the Universe’: Strictly’s Anton Du Beke Breaks Down in Tears as He Opens Up About Wife Hannah’s Endometriosis Battle
Anton Du Beke has emotionally opened up about his wife Hannah’s long and painful health battle, admitting he was left in tears as he reflected on how her endometriosis diagnosis nearly robbed them of their dream of becoming parents.
The Strictly Come Dancing judge, one of the show’s original professional dancers, revealed the deeply personal struggle during a candid conversation on Happy Mum Happy Baby with host Giovanna Fletcher.
Anton married marketing executive Hannah Summers in 2017, after the couple first met at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey in 2012. Later that year, they welcomed twins George and Henrietta following successful IVF treatment — a moment Anton says felt nothing short of miraculous.
‘She Was Born to Be a Mum’
Anton Du Beke was one of the original professionals on the hit BBC dancing competition(Image: PA)
During the emotional interview, Anton revealed that Hannah had long feared she may never be able to have children due to her crippling endometriosis — a condition where tissue similar to the womb lining grows elsewhere in the body, often causing chronic pain and fertility issues.
He admitted he struggled to make sense of the injustice, especially after watching Hannah interact lovingly with her nephews.
“I knew I wanted to be with her,” Anton said. “I saw her with her nephews. She’s so kind and so caring. I just couldn’t understand the universe.”
‘Cruel and Inexplicable’
Anton and his wife Hannah share a set of twins(Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Imag
Anton went on to question what he described as the apparent cruelty of fate, saying he couldn’t accept that someone so nurturing could be denied motherhood.
“And whoever is upstairs — if anyone’s upstairs — looking down and saying, ‘You’re the most perfect person to have children, but I’m not going to let you have any,’” he said.
“I’m going to give you endometriosis, and you’re going to suffer with this all of your life, chronically, and I’m not going to let you have any children. I thought that was cruel, inexplicable and unforgivable.”
The dancer admitted that if he were ever able to confront whoever made those decisions, he would struggle to understand how such suffering could be justified.
IVF: ‘You Girls Are Extraordinary’
Anton also spoke movingly about the IVF process that ultimately brought them closer together, despite the emotional and physical toll it took on Hannah.
Reflecting on the treatment, he said:
“Then we went through IVF — crying out loud. You girls are extraordinary. I get emotional every time I talk about it.”
He described the injections, bruising, stress and anxiety Hannah endured, admitting how helpless he felt watching her suffer.
“She has injections in the bum, the thigh, the stomach. You want to help, but all you can do is hold her hand,” he said. “It’s horrendous as a man to watch.”
A Call for Better Women’s Health Support
Anton acknowledged that before Hannah’s diagnosis, he had little understanding of endometriosis — and used his platform to stress the urgent need for better awareness and increased government funding for women’s health services.
Despite the pain, the couple’s fertility journey ended in joy when IVF worked on their first attempt, leading to the birth of their twins in 2017, followed shortly by their wedding.
Looking back, Anton said the experience reshaped his understanding of resilience, love and partnership — and left him with deep admiration for what women endure in silence.
