Strictly Come Dancing hopeful Stacey Dooley became a TV star thanks to an advert in the Mirror.
The waitress-turned-presenter, who is taking part in the upcoming series of the BBC contest, was given an MBE this year for her services to broadcasting.
And Stacey’s mum Diane reckons it is all down to the Mirror.
She said: “Stace was 19, working in a bar as a waitress, when she answered an advert in the back of the Daily Mirror.
“I’d noticed it while I was on holiday in Scotland and kept the ad to show her when I got home.”
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Strictly 2018 Contestants
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Katie Piper
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Joe Sugg
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Dr Ranj Singh
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Vick Hope
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Graeme Swann
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Susannah Constantine
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Charles Venn
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Lee Ryan -
Ashley Roberts
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Faye Tozer
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Danny John-Jules
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Kate Silverton
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Lauren Steadman
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Seann Walsh
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Stacey Dooley
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Strictly winners
The advert, placed by Brighton-based TV production firm Ricochet, was seeking 16 to 25-year-olds who liked travel and fashion.
Diane said: “Stace joined them and went on her first assignment to India.
“They took six young fashion addicts over to live and work in the sweatshops, for a documentary.
“She was spotted while she was on that assignment and it led to her being offered Stacey Dooley Investigates.” The 31-year-old has since gone on to become a standout star on BBC Three.
Her documentary series, which first aired in 2009, has covered subjects ranging from former child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Isis jihadis on death row.
And Diane is relieved her daughter will be waltzing around the ballroom instead of travelling the world making documentaries on dangerous subjects.
She said: “I’m glad she’s going into Strictly because at least it means she’ll be in this country where she’s going to be safe, not in some far-flung country interviewing a lunatic.
“She doesn’t normally tell me about the dangerous places she’s going to – and she’s done some really scary things.
“She was airlifted from the Democratic Republic of Congo with malaria after investigating child soldiers, she interviewed the Mexican mafia, and has sat just feet away from an Isis member.
“I don’t know how she can be so brave. She believes these stories need to be told. She’s been offered counselling after witnessing these situations.
“But she hasn’t needed to take it up. Being with her family is the only therapy she needs. She’s pretty tough and is a real believer in fighting for what’s right.”
That toughness could be just what Stacey needs for Strictly – although Diane reckons her daughter has a “dancing gene” after being born in 1987, the year movie Dirty Dancing came out.
She said: “She was dancing and sashaying around to the music of Dirty Dancing when she was two, and carried on dancing to it as she grew up.
“Seven years ago she got tickets to Strictly and took me along to watch it. We were in the audience – we especially liked Robbie Savage.”
Stacey, of Luton, Beds, was born with a heart murmur but overcame it thanks to the NHS. Diane said: “She had to be monitored for it until the age of five.
“She really believes in the NHS and was so glad to be able to make a programme for the BBC about cardiac wards as part of the celebration of 70 years of the NHS.
“She’s very hard-working and has a hard work ethic. She can make fun of herself – but doesn’t suffer fools gladly.”
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