28 October 2023 , 17:00
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After Strictly Come Dancing star Angela Rippon expertly executed her age-defying high kick move during her first performance, many were left in shock that she is the oldest contestant on the show.
But it looks as though the former newsreader, who turned 79 earlier this month, has a secret exercise regime that involves daily stretching, which allows her to still be a strong contender for the Glitterball trophy. In a recent interview, Angela who is partnered with professional dancer Kai Waddrington, said that she had wished the BBC had asked her to compete in the show ten years ago rather than now.
She went on to explain to Saga Exceptional: "Every single morning I do stretching exercises for ten minutes, then I’m out the door at 7am for a 45-minute power walk. I play tennis with friends, do Pilates, cycle on a Sunday, and take a ballet class at the Royal Academy of Dance when I can." Angela has spent her entire career in the spotlight but it seems just before she met with Kai she felt a sense of anxiety.
Angela Rippon enjoys a daily exercise routine to keep her body flexible (BBC/Kieron McCarron)
The Strictly star's infamous high kick shocked judges and viewers (PA)She admitted: "I had huge anxieties until the point when I met him because I was really worried about doing something which is in many ways out of my comfort zone. Covering the Queen’s funeral for Australian TV didn’t faze me, but Strictly is something quite, quite different."
She added: "I said I wanted someone who is strong because I’m going to be hanging onto him rather a lot, and someone with a great sense of humour and patience. Kai has all of those in bucket-loads. I have enormous trust in him. He said to me ‘don’t worry, whatever happens I’ll catch you.’ Once someone as gorgeous as him says that, you don’t worry about the little things."
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And their close bond is definitely clear for all to see as he was one of the first people to pay Angela a birthday tribute. On October 12, Kai wrote: "Happy birthday to my wonderful dance partner in crime @theangelarippon you are one of the most amazing women I’ve ever had the pleasure to know and it’s my honour to get to dance with you every day." Since the show started, Angela's age has been the subject of discussion among former Strictly dancers including Brendan Cole.
Earlier this month, during an interview with Sky Bingo, former Strictly star Brendan Cole said: "I think (Angela Rippon) can go all the way to the final but I don't think she can go all the way and win it. The thing with Angela is, I think they were very clever – the music choice – 'You make me feel so young', (Kai Widdrington) looked really dapper. He looks after her, he's a lovely boy. She knows how television works to say all the right things."
He added: "She did a really nice Foxtrot, (it) was a pretty dance. She wasn't hitting a particularly wonderful ballroom position but she's 78 years old. What are we expecting? I think time will play against her in the show because it is very demanding and trying to make two numbers look good is very different to trying to make one number good. Half the time on a number can make a number go from being really nice, to really awful. I've no doubt that she'll probably get to week eight or nine and that'd be great, but then once you step into two numbers, and you've got show dances and whatever, that becomes a tricky thing."
But Angela insists that her age shouldn't matter. She continued to tell the publication Saga Exceptional: "In a way, doing Strictly is putting my money where my mouth is by saying it doesn’t matter what age you are, what level of dance you do or what kind, whether it’s ballet, line dancing or ballroom. If I can prove that even at 79 you can still dance a cha-cha, that’d be fantastic."