Anton Du Beke shocks Strictly fans as he takes a savage swipe at former partners live on stage

ANTON Du Beke shocked fans by making a cutting remark about his former Strictly dance partners.

The judge was live on stage in front of a 20,000-strong crowd at London's O2 for Strictly Come Dancing: The Live Tour.

He made the gag after watching celeb contestant Angela Rippon, 79, do the splits during her impressive routine.

Anton remarked: "Some of my partners can't make it down the stairs unaided never mind that..."

He's famously partnered with the likes of Ann Widdicombe, Ruth Langsford, Kate Garraway and Judy Murray.

His final dance partner, Jacqui Smith, was voted out first - and Anton retired as a professional on the show that year.

He has since replaced Bruno Tonioli full-time on the panel.

Long-term judge Bruno quit after flying back and forth from the States to do Dancing with the Stars took its toll.

Since taking over, Anton has been rapped on the knuckles by BBC bosses for making a rude joke on the pre-watershed live show.

There were gasps from the audience when he quipped that he and fellow judge Craig Revel ­Horwood had performed a dance move naked.

Some viewers were shocked at the 7.30pm aside he made in comments on a samba performed by same-sex pairing  Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin.

After his naughty punchline, 57-year-old ex-show dancer Anton added: “The only ­reason I’m telling you this is because I have nothing to say about this dance — it was pretty much perfect.”

Producers felt Anton should be mindful of younger viewers.

A source said: “Producers talked about how Anton should remember that Strictly is a family show and cheeky, subtle innuendo for the adult viewers is fine but he’d taken things a little too far.”