HIS dancing feet have won him a place on BBC1's Strictly Dance Fever. But Darren Bailey, 25, from Newport, kept his passion a secret for three years.

Darren, 25, who lives with his parents Eric and Carol and sister Gemma on Nash Road, and his partner will compete against nine other couples on the show.

The show's producers have teamed him with Lana Williams and together the pair will compete for the £50,000 first prize - and the chance to become professional dancers.

Darren started dancing in his teens and joined the Ponderosa Stompers, a social line-dancing group, in Abertillery.

He has since gone on to win the line-dancing choreography World Championship every year since 2002.

But his father said Darren would not tell anyone about his dancing when he was a pupil at Lliswerry High School because he was worried he would be bullied.

Mr Bailey, 59, a post office worker, said: "Darren didn't want them to think he was a softie.

"Around here the lads are meant to play rugby or football and so only those closest to him knew. "He was worried about his reputation."

Darren started dancing about 10 years ago after he went on a family holiday to Florida.

Mr Bailey, who himself is a regular at line-dancing events for the over-50s, said: "We went to a line-dancing bar over there and Darren loved it. I took him to the Ponderosa Stompers when we came back. Darren was a natural."

Darren and sister Gemma, 21, have been dancing partners for about five years. They considered auditioning for Strictly Dance Fever together but Gemma decided to concentrate on her studies.

Darren, whose girlfriend Linda lives in Holland, is currently in the Strictly Dance Fever Mansion in London with the other contestants.

His father added: "I will go up to London every other week if he gets through. As long as he does something to do with dancing he is happy. If he ends up dancing in a West End musical he would be over the moon." Strictly Dance Fever is on BBC1 on Saturdays at 6.10pm and 9.25pm.