Kevin Clifton had an emotional moment after making an unexpected family discovery during a forthcoming episode of Who Do You Think You Are?.
The former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer has delved into his family’s history in Canada for the BBC ancestry series, which is set to air next week.
In his episode, Kevin discovers more about a relative called Matooski, from the First Nations of Canada, who was subjected to racism during her lifetime.
He described finding out about her story as “big thing to process”.
Speaking to the media ahead of the episode, Kevin said (via The Mirror): “It’s funny because I’m [so] far removed from Matooski. I’m a 40-year-old white man who’s a ballroom dancer. I’ve never had to experience any kind of prejudice or racism or anything like that. It’s just not something I’ve ever had to deal with.
“I felt very defensive and protective of her even though it was a long time ago. Just the fact that it was connected with my history.”
Kevin admitted he didn’t expected to get emotional on the show, “but then at that moment, I did,” he added.
The dancer, who is in a relationship with former Strictly partner Stacey Dooley, also told Digital Spy that he had been expecting his journey on Who Do You Think You Are? just to lead him back to his hometown of Grimsby.
“I said, ‘It’s either going to be just generations of ballroom dancers, or it’s going to be based in Grimsby and we’re going to be talking about the history of the fishing industry in Grimsby or something’,” he told the outlet.
“That’s all I knew of myself really. So, for the episode to go where it ended up going was mind-blowing. I couldn’t believe it.”
Kevin’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? airs on Thursday 22 June at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.