Stacey Dooley is a British television presenter, journalist, and author known for her fearless investigative documentaries on social justice issues. She gained public attention after winning the sixteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2018, though her career has been defined by her work exposing child trafficking, domestic abuse, and extremism around the world.
Quick Facts
Full Name: Stacey Jaclyn Dooley
Age: 39 (born March 9, 1987)
Nationality: British
Occupation: Television Presenter, Journalist, Author
Known For: Stacey Dooley Investigates, winning Strictly Come Dancing (2018), MBE for services to broadcasting
Marital Status: In a relationship with Kevin Clifton (since 2019)
Children: One daughter, Minnie (born January 2023)
Early Life and Background
Stacey Dooley was born in Luton, Bedfordshire, to a father of Irish descent who left the family when she was just two years old. Her mother, who is from Liverpool, raised Stacey as a single parent. Dooley left school at 15 without completing formal qualifications and worked as a shop assistant, selling perfumes at Luton Airport and briefly at a hair salon. She has spoken openly about a difficult youth, including shoplifting and briefly dating a drug dealer, before turning her life around.
Career and Achievements
Dooley’s television career began unexpectedly in 2008 when she was selected as a participant on the BBC Three documentary Blood, Sweat and T-shirts, which followed British fashion consumers as they lived and worked alongside factory workers in India. Her empathetic yet unflinching approach impressed producers, leading to her own series, Stacey Dooley Investigates, which has run since 2009. The show has covered topics including sex trafficking in Cambodia, child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, ISIS fighters, and domestic abuse in the UK.
In 2018, Dooley published her debut book, On the Front Line with the Women Who Fight Back, which became a Sunday Times Bestseller. That same year, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting. Later in 2018, she competed on and won the sixteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing with professional partner Kevin Clifton, significantly raising her public profile. She has since presented Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star, DNA Family Secrets, and made her West End stage debut in 2024.
Major Event or Controversy
Dooley has faced occasional criticism for her journalistic style, with some accusing her of “poverty tourism.” However, supporters argue her grassroots, empathetic approach brings important stories to mainstream audiences who might otherwise ignore them. In 2018, her documentary Stacey Dooley: Face to Face with ISIS, in which she confronted a convicted ISIS fighter, won a One World Media Award.
Why She Is in the News
Dooley is trending after revealing that she and her partner, former Strictly professional Kevin Clifton, have been living in Liverpool for two years and now consider it home. The move has brought them closer to her mother, who acts as a hands-on nanny for their daughter, Minnie. Dooley described Scousers as people who “bend over backwards” for you and admitted it “pains me to say” how different the north is from the south, calling the contrast “night and day”.
Conclusion
Stacey Dooley is a distinctive voice in British documentary-making, known for her empathy and willingness to tackle difficult subjects. After years of living in London, she has now settled in Liverpool, embracing the city her mother calls home.
