Stacey Dooley’s incredible transformation from school dropout at 15 to glam TV host worth £750k
SHE’S known for her gutsy reporting and has flown round the world for her hard-hitting investigative documentaries.
Stacey Dooley dazzled Strictly viewers last year after making a name for herself as one of BBC’s leading journalists – and has certainly come a long way after leaving school at 15.
The 32-year-old presenter was born and raised in Luton and had no idea the path her career would take.
Dropping out of school as a young teen, a fresh-faced and flaming-haired Stacey first got a job working in a hairdressers in Bramingham.
The pretty star then did perfume and make-up promotions at Luton Airport and has carried her love of fashion and beauty throughout her career.
Her life changed completely when she appeared in a show called Blood, Sweat and T-shirts in 2008, which investigated the working conditions of Indian sweatshops.
The series was such a success that she was invited to go on Newsnight to talk about her experience, and admitted at the time she “didn’t even know what Newsnight was.”
After she got the call to go on the show, she immediately rang her mum who was at bingo to tell her the news.
Her mum told Stacey that she was crazy and Jeremy Paxton would rip her to shreds.
Thankfully Stacey admitted later that Jeremy was “very accommodating and very lovely”.
The rising star’s appearance helped her to land her first TV series, Stacey Dooley Investigates, which started in August 2009.
The BBC Three show explored a range of topics from prostitution to the international drug trade, and Stacey’s “informal” style was described as anything but “vanilla.”
Some said Stacey was “inadequate” for such a prominent role at BBC, having left education early and never studied journalism, but others called her a “breath of fresh air”.
To critics, Stacey said: “I’d much rather that, you know, than be vanilla and just another privately educated… white woman.”
It’s a good thing Stacey has a thick skin, as the inspiring star has gone on to highlight many issues over her ten years in documentary making.
These include the disturbing new trend of teens using emojis to deal Class A drugs on Snapchat.
Another BBC investigation by Stacey Dooley uncovered how the sexualisation of young girls is widespread in Japan, with child rape featuring in comic books.
In November 2016, Stacey was seen on Face to Face With Isis.
The jaw-dropping show saw the TV presenter revisit Iraq to tell the story of a former captive of the so-called Islamic State.
Viewers were also gobsmacked by another of Dooley's investigations, which revealed 1,200 indigenous Canadian women who have gone missing or been murdered since 1980.
Stacey was revealed as a Strictly Come Dancing contestant on the show on August 16 last year, and she said of the news: “I'm so, so ready to embrace this and take to the dancefloor!”
Looking every inch the glam star, Stacey swapped war zones for the dancefloor, and dazzled viewers in sequins and ball gowns every week.
Stacey was paired up with veteran pro, Kevin Clifton, and from the very first show she impressed both the judges and viewers - with her technique improving week after week.
As the show progressed to the later stages she was installed as a firm favourite with bookies.
And their predictions proved correct, with Stacey and Kevin being crowned the winners on December 15 after a spectacular grand final.
Just months after her dancing success, it emerged that the infamous Strictly curse had struck poor Stacey.
The Sun exclusively revealed that the dancing champ had split from her long-term boyfriend of three years, Sam Tucknott.
Sam previously played at international and premier league level for clubs such as Crystal Palace and Wycombe Wonderers.
After leaving football behind, he set up and founded his own personal training company Pro-Fit, and supported Stacey throughout her Strictly journey.
They became the fourteenth couple to break up after one partner appeared on the hit show.
Since finishing the tour, Stacey has filmed a new BBC show, Glow Up, and travelled to America to make a new documentary about arms dealers.
She also visited Uganda to make a short film for Comic Relief – but the trip wasn’t without controversy.
The journalist sparked a backlash after sharing pictures of herself helping disadvantaged African children for a new documentary that focuses on malaria and neonatal clinics.
In February 2019 Stacey became embroiled in a row with Tottenham MP David Lammy after he told her she's perpetuating a harmful narrative with her Comic Relief charity work.
But the star’s glittering career has seen her praised by thousands and even led to her being award an MBE in 2018 for her services to broadcasting.
She's now estimated to be worth around £750,000 thanks to her documentaries and book deal, On The Front Line With Women Who Fight Back.
We know there is plenty more to come from Stacey and are watching this space…
Stacey Dooley shares emotional message about ‘being worthy of love’ and posts sizzling behind the scenes modelling pic after split with boyfriend Sam Tucknott.
Strictly Come Dancing fans were outraged as Stacey Dooley is ‘under-marked’ for ‘incredible’ first performance in Strictly.