TV presenter and documentary filmmaker Stacey Dooley has once again been praised for her refreshing honesty, this time openly discussing the impact that welcoming her daughter, Minnie, has had on her intimate relationship with partner Kevin Clifton.

Stacey, 38, and former Strictly Come Dancing professional Kevin, 43, welcomed their first child, Minnie, in January 2023.¹ Speaking candidly on the Parenting Hell podcast back in April, Dooley revealed that their sex life had taken a backseat due to the shift in family focus and Minnie's sleeping arrangements (The Independent).

The Realities of Co-Sleeping and Parenthood

Dooley admitted on the podcast that she was currently happier focusing on sleep and cuddling her daughter. She confessed that Minnie was still co-sleeping with them in their bed.

"We need to start remembering how to have sex," she joked, adding the blunt assessment that she was "sort of not really [having sex]." She explained that the situation was temporary, as Kevin was away touring until the summer (The Guardian).

"Maybe when Kev is back on the scene, we will start remembering how you have sex. Then maybe I would think, Minnie, you’re going to have to go and hang out in your own bedroom now," she elaborated, highlighting the reality that for many new parents, logistics and sleep often trump intimacy (Emma's Diary). This openness echoes Dooley’s previous admissions about being "unprepared" for the profound transformations of motherhood, despite her journalistic background (The Independent).²

The Bedtime Routine: A Family Affair

Stacey detailed her deeply cherished, if early, bedtime routine with Minnie. The evening begins with dinner and a bath for the toddler, before the sweet ritual commences.

“We have a bit of a chat, put her PJs on, and we just end up getting in my bed together,” Stacey shared. “We watch one episode of Paddington and then go to sleep. I am going to bed early, at 8pm. I love it, honestly!” she added, showing that the current focus is squarely on family comfort and togetherness.

Blurring Lines: Working Together on Stage

The couple, who famously won Strictly Come Dancing in 2018, took on a new and potentially stressful challenge this summer by starring opposite each other in the UK tour of the supernatural thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story.³ They are playing the fictional couple, Jenny and Sam, with the tour dates running extensively through late 2025 (West End Theatre).⁴

Kevin, speaking on the All That Chat podcast, openly expressed concern that his professional intensity could strain their relationship while rehearsing and performing together. “We’re not a very argumentative couple – touch wood – we don’t argue a lot,” he began. However, he admitted their work styles differ dramatically: “Stace can very much go do her job, do it great, and then leave it at the door and come home.⁵ Whereas I’m a bit obsessive and I have to live and breathe the character. I’ll probably bring the character home, which might get interesting. It could be the ending of us,” he worried (Grimsby Live).

He also acknowledged the inherent oddness of acting opposite a partner who knows him so intimately: “When it’s your partner in front of you who knows everything about you and all your insecurities and then you start playing this character in front of them… it’s going to be weird.” Despite the reservations, the opportunity to tour together was a significant draw, allowing them to spend time together before Minnie reaches preschool age (In-Common).

Fans got to see Stacey Dooley on screen again on November 15th, when she appeared as a celebrity guest on Michael McIntyre's The Wheel on BBC One (Teleboy).⁶

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