Stacey Dooley has opened up about struggling with imposter syndrome throughout her career, refusing to let it ‘cripple’ her.
The documentary maker – who is rumoured to be dating Strictly Come Dancing partner Kevin Clifton – revealed she left school with no GCSEs or qualifications.
But the 32-year-old was adamant this wouldn’t hold her back.
Appearing in a video for NatWest, she said: ‘I left school at 15, no GCSEs, no qualifications. When I started my career, I remember walking into this very foreign, daunting environment and thinking: “I don’t sound the same, I don’t look the same, I didn’t study in any of these guys’ places…”
‘But you either let that cripple you and there’s that temptation to conform and behave the same, mimic their behaviour, or you think, “Actually, I’ve got to really take ownership of it here, work really hard and prove myself.”’
She went on to explain there were times she felt like an imposter, compared to the ‘serious, highbrow’ people around her.
‘It is not always easy always silencing that voice of doubt in your own mind… I’ve certainly struggled with imposter syndrome, yeah, there’s no doubt about it,’ she continued.
‘I suppose at the start, current affairs is very typically middle aged, middle class, male heavy, it’s very serious, quite highbrow, and I walked in as a 20-year-old girl from Luton.
‘I sounded different, looked different, and didn’t study where they went to school. You do question whether or not you belong and I think there is that temptation to mimic their behaviour and conform.
‘But I think that’s the worst thing you can do, I think you’ve got to celebrate how unique you are and take hold of those differences, make it work for you.’
Stacey’s words come as she was reported to have moved in with Kevin Clifton, after leaving the Brighton flat she shared with ex-boyfriend Sam Tucknott.
‘Stacey needed somewhere else to live. Kevin has been really relaxed about letting her stay and so far it’s working really well,’ an insider told The Sun.
‘Stacey is not sure whether she’ll stay for good but for now it’s a good place for her to set up base.’
While the pair have yet to confirm their romance, they have been sharing glimpses of each other on their social media profiles.
The rumoured lovebirds enjoyed a date night at WWE Raw on Monday night, and posed for pictures with each other backstage.
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