Interview by Lori Bizzoco. Written by Sarah Batcheller.
Hailing from Rome, Italy, Antonio Sabato Jr. first grabbed America’s attention as an underwear model for Calvin Klein before playing Jagger Cates on the popular soap opera General Hospital.  Now, he’s impressing us with even more talent, as he takes on two new roles: DIY expert on Fix It and Finish It and contestant on season 19 of Dancing With the Stars (DWTS). The busy father of two found some time to chat with us as he enthusiastically tackles both endeavors while on the road!
Antonio Sabato Jr. Talks Current Projects in Celebrity Interview
In our celebrity interview, the TV host says that taking on two projects at once is something he can definitely handle, and he clearly intends to succeed at both, stating, “Challenges are something that I love confronting face on — and Fix It and Finish It is a huge challenge! We’re doing 150 shows in a year across the country; it’s a lot of renovations, demolitions, and things like that.” His wife Cheryl will be helping with the building projects as well.
Then, Sabato got the call to do DWTS, which he describes as a “blessing.” The family man didn’t originally intend to put his dancing shoes on though. “My first thought was that I couldn’t do it. It’s up to my producers and my team because Fix It and Finish It was my main priority. They all worked it out, and now, we have a busy, seven-day schedule each week,” he explains. “DWTS is something that I considered for a long time. My fans and my family are so happy that I’m doing it.” His daughter, who will be in the audience each week with his wife and other kids, is especially excited about the show, being that she is the real dancer of the celebrity family.
Related Link: Brooke Burke-Charvet Says ‘Dancing With the Stars’ is “Unpredictable and Evenly-Matched”
Reality TV Star Opens Up About DWTS and Celebrity Marriage
Sabato says that his greatest sources of support are his “two Cheryls,” one being his wife and the other being his DWTS partner, Cheryl Burke. Of his celebrity marriage, he says, “I can’t wait to dance with my wife! I’m definitely picking up some stuff, and hopefully, I’ll be somewhat of a dancer relatively soon. Then, I can take those moves and have a nice time with her.” We can’t wait to see more of this celebrity relationship on both of Sabato’s shows!
When it comes to Burke, he shares, “When they asked me who I wanted to dance with, I said Cheryl — and I got her! She’s everything that I need and then some. She’s tough and kind. I like to push myself, and she just pushes me to another level.”
It’s clear that the actor believes life is about embracing new experiences. “It’s about taking chances, trying new things. I don’t like to follow the herd. I do whatever I feel like doing,” the reality TV star says in our celebrity interview. “I feel like doing things that come my way, and I just take it one day at a time. DWTS is another opportunity to do something that is quite amazing, actually, in such short amount of time. You can’t refuse that!”
Related Link: ‘DWTS’ Pro Tony Dovolani on His Marriage: “My Wife is My Queen”
As for his first dance, he reveals that he’ll be doing the Cha-Cha on tonight’s episode. “I’m looking forward to learning any dance since I don’t have any dancing background. We’ve been rehearsing for about a week and a half now,” he explains. “What a challenge — it’s mental, physical, and emotional. But you have to make life interesting!”
It’s no surprise that his longtime fans are a great source of encouragement. He knows that he’s “still Jagger to them” and gushes, “It’s incredible. They keep everything going. They supported me from day one. They’re still supporting me now. Doing DWTS is for them as well. I have the best fans in the world.”
You can keep up with Antonio on www.facebook.com/Antonio-Sabato-Jr-38146293272/. Don’t forget to tune in to Fix It and Finish It each weekday — check local listings for times and stations in your area. You can also catch him on Dancing With the Stars, which premieres on ABC on Monday, September 15th at 8/7c!
