Stacey Dooley returned to the Blackpool Winter Gardens Ballroom this week with her daughter, Minnie, to show her the location of one of the couple's most widely remembered Strictly Come Dancing performances.
Remembering the moment
The visit revived memories of a routine in which Dooley and then-professional partner Kevin Clifton made a dramatic entrance by descending into the ballroom on a prop styled as a stick of Blackpool rock. The performance — staged during the 2018 series when the pair were partnered — remains one of the sequence's most talked-about moments.
Dooley posted images and video of the trip on social media, explaining why she had brought her daughter to the venue. One of her posts reproduced a short description of the entrance from an online source, followed by her own caption. In part, the online description read:
"The Entrance: Opened the iconic Blackpool episode by descending from the ceiling on a giant stick of Blackpool rock with her professional partner Kevin Clifton."
Dooley added playful commentary in her posts and shared snapshots from the ballroom, including a recent selfie with Clifton and a home video of herself and Minnie walking into the hall as ballroom music played.
Local significance
The Winter Gardens Ballroom has long been a focal point for touring productions and television specials, and moments such as the Dooley–Clifton entrance help sustain the venue's national profile. Celebrity visits and the cultural memory of televised performances contribute to the ballroom's ongoing appeal for visitors and fans of Strictly alike.
For Blackpool's tourism sector, such coverage acts as a reminder of the town's theatrical history and its continuing draw as a location for entertainment. The posts also highlight the personal connection many performers retain with the location years after their television appearances.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Dooley and Clifton partnered on Strictly Come Dancing; their Blackpool entrance took place |
| 2019 | Kevin Clifton left Strictly a year after dancing with Dooley |
| 2023 | Dooley and Clifton's daughter, Minnie, was born |
| 2026 | Dooley brought Minnie to the Winter Gardens Ballroom to revisit the routine |
What visitors should know
- The Winter Gardens remains open for events and public performances; visitors planning trips should check the venue's official schedule.
- Iconic television moments filmed in Blackpool continue to attract fans; photography of the interior is common but may be restricted during events.
- Local businesses and tourism operators often reference notable shows and appearances when promoting visits to the town.
The visit is another example of how moments from national television can keep local venues in the public eye, encouraging both nostalgic return visits and fresh interest from visitors discovering Blackpool's theatrical heritage for the first time.
