Kevin Clifton shares exhausted-looking throwback snap as he reflects on his past struggles

Kevin Clifton shared an exhausted-looking throwback snap on Monday as he reflected on his past struggles.

The former Strictly pro, 40, marked ‘the most beautiful’ five years in a cryptic Instagram post as he confessed to always pretending to be in a better place.

Now a father to daughter Minnie, with his fiancee Stacey Dooley, 36, Kevin shared some more recent snaps that show him looking much happier and healthier.

One was a handwritten note that read, “Remember, 5 years ago you dreamed about where you are now.”

He wrote in his caption, “Don’t like to talk about it too much in public, but a few years ago I wasn’t always doing as well as I always tried to discern.

‘I wasn’t doing as well as I thought’: Kevin Clifton shared an exhausted-looking throwback snap on Monday as he reflected on his past struggles

Staying strong: A handwritten note read: ‘Just remember that 5 years ago you dreamed about where you are now’

Opening: The former Strictly pro, 40, marked ‘the most beautiful’ five years in a cryptic Instagram post as he confessed he always pretended to be in a better place

‘Today I celebrate the most beautiful past 5 years❤️.’

It recently surfaced the writing was on the wall for the romance between Kevin and Stacey long before they ever crossed paths.

The professional dancer took to Instagram last month to share a screenshot of a tweet from Stacey posted in 2013 where she appeared to be pouring all over him.

Speaking of the “new guy” on Strictly the moment Kevin started the show, the host wrote “I likey” next to heart eye emojis.

The resurfaced tweet sent fans wild as they took to the comment section to write the famous quote, “when you know, you know.”

When the full lineup of judges and professional dancers for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing was announced on Friday, it reminded Kevin of the reaction when he was announced as a professional 10 years ago.

And someone who was thrilled with the TV eyecandy was Stacey, as she tweeted at the time, “OMG! That new guy?!?!?!?!?! I like you! God I love Strictly’.

Kevin shared a screenshot of the tweet on Instagram, writing, “As the @bbcstrictly professionals are announced today, I’m just leaving this here again from @sjdooley twitter in 2013….”.

Looking good: Now a father to daughter Minnie, with his fiancee Stacey Dooley, 36, Kevin shared some more recent snaps that show him looking much happier and healthier

Real? It recently emerged that the writing was on the wall for Kevin and Stacey’s romance long before they ever crossed paths (pictured in 2019)

Many joked about “when you know you know,” as others called it “love at first sight,” while one friend commented, “Misson completed @sjdooley.”

But while fans were discussing the full-circle sweet moment, some joked that maybe Stacey’s tweet wasn’t about Kevin since this was also the year pro Aljaz Škorjanec joined.

“Eh…… Alijaz didn’t get to Kev that year????” noted one follower.

Kevin joked back “who?” in response to the comment, as another fan repeated, “She could have meant Aljaz.”

Kevin and Stacey were crowned Strictly champions in 2018 after winning viewers’ hearts with their incredible collaboration.

Months later in 2019, it was revealed that the pair were dating, after Stacey split from her long-term boyfriend Sam Tucknott.

Sam then confronted Kevin about his relationship with Stacey in a furious FaceTime call.

The personal trainer claimed he called Kevin a “snake” and a “rat” when he discovered flirty text messages sent to his ex after they broke up.

He told the Mail on Sunday: ‘He turned white. I just tacked it on to him, ‘You’re an absolute rat. How you behaved. Just a slippery, slimy snake.” He didn’t say a word. He looked terrified. He looked so shocked.’

‘I have so much respect for it [Stacey]but I’m gutted and I’m disappointed and I feel so let down that she didn’t have the respect for me to tell me and just be honest.”

Going strong: They welcomed their first child, daughter Minnie, in January after beginning their romance in 2018