Angela Rippon praised for Strictly stint by elderly fans who feel 'invisible'

10 September 2023 , 10:26

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Angela Rippon praised for Strictly stint by elderly fans who feel 'invisible'

Angela Rippon says she’s doing Strictly for the older community who are often made to feel “invisible.”

And the journalist, 78, aid she has been inundated with support for signing up as the dance show’s oldest ever contestant – despite still feeling 30 years old.

She said: “When I was loading up my shopping in Waitrose at the checkout, the lady standing next to me said, ‘I just want you to know that all my friends say that women our age and our hair colour become invisible, so thank you because you’re going to make headlines for us’.”

She added: “Everybody’s asking about my age but I never think about it. I suppose up here I’m still 30, but because I’ve been around dancers for a long time, my head knows what to do but my body keeps saying, ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Touch wood I haven’t had a single twinge yet”.

Former Strictly finalist John Whaite is one of many stars who are backing Angela to win the BBC series. Earlier this month, the BBC unveiled the star-studded line-up for the 2023 season of the beloved dance competition. The roster includes soap stars, news anchors, and even a Paralympic champion, promising an exciting season for viewers as the celebrities gear up to hit the dance floor this Autumn.

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Angela is one of 15 stars who are competing for the Glitterball trophy this year (BBC Studios/Ray Burmiston)

As anticipation builds for the new series, former finalist John shared his predictions with ITV's Lorraine host Christine Lampard. When asked who he thought would be lifting the coveted Glitterball trophy, he responded: ”Oooh, my moneys on Angela Rippon. It's about damn time, a mature woman.”

Lampard agreed, noting Rippon's dancing prowess from her younger years and expressing her excitement to see her perform. Whaite added: ”You never know, she may get embroiled in a Strictly curse, you never know!”

Angela Rippon will make history as the oldest competitor that the BBC show has ever seen. Despite this, she is eager to take on the challenge. She expressed her enthusiasm, saying: ”Having been a fan of Strictly since day one, and as a former presenter of Come Dancing, this will be quite an adventure for me. A scary one, considering Im about to be 79. But Im really looking forward to the challenge, and perhaps being able to learn to dance the Argentinian Tango!!”

Nicola Fahey