Craig Revel Horwood has opened up about his traumatic childhood growing up with his alcoholic father as he described it as 'just awful'.
The Strictly judge, 60, who grew up in Australia, revealed he turned to dance as an escapism from his turbulent life at home with his dad Philip.
The dancer confessed that at its worst his father even ended up trying to shoot his mother Beverley and his brother-in-law David and went to prison amid the abusive conditions.
Speaking to The Mirror he explained: 'He was a terrible alcoholic and that was prevalent all the way through our childhood. Growing up around alcoholism is just awful.
'It got so bad that Dad ended up trying to shoot Mum and my brother-in-law and went to prison. It was just so abusive at home. That's the reason I started dancing as well. Not only because I was porky, but because I just couldn't stand being at home.'
Craig's dad passed away in December 2015 with toxicology showing massive amounts of alcohol in his body.
He explained: 'He was a terrible alcoholic and that was prevalent all the way through our childhood. Growing up around alcoholism is just awful.'
Craig added: 'I think people don't realise how dangerous alcohol can be....When he died, I made the decision that I was going to learn to love him and also love who he could have been.'
On discovering dance Craig fell in love with jazz ballet and started training in classical ballet, jazz, tap and modern.
He went on to star in an Australian production of West Side Story at just 17 before his career truly kicked off.
Craig went on to join Strictly when it first launched in 2004, and despite his fears that the show would never work it has gone on to be a mass hit.
Previously speaking about his father's alcoholism on Loose Women in April he even admitted he thought his dad would kill him.
'I thought I'd be killed. It was real, proper abuse. It was horrible to come home to from school.
'It got worse when he left the navy; he was functioning alcoholic for a long time.'
He added: 'My mother, bless her, did not know what to do. Everyone said, 'Why didn't you just leave him?' but it wasn't possible at that stage.'
He added: 'That's the reason I started dancing as well. Not only because I was porky, but because I just couldn't stand being at home.'
Craig said that of the five children in the family, the eldest three were abused and recounted: 'We couldn't bring people home from school - we were too scared.'
When probed on whether he confided in anyone about the abuse, Craig replied: 'No, I kept his drinking a secret.'
Craig's father Phil -- a former Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant -- died aged 74 in December 2015.
The star has previously revealed his father 'drank himself to death' and had 'a blood alcohol level of 400mg per litre' when he died.