16 November 2023 , 16:02
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Angela Rippon is in Blackpool ahead of this weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing live shows despite recent fix claims.
Strictly fans may not know that the 79-year-old broadcaster presented the original format of the show in the Eighties and Nineties, which used to be called Come Dancing. So her appearance as a contestant is a full circle moment for her.
And being back in Blackpool, the home of ballroom dancing, has to be a special moment for Angela, who at almost 80 is the oldest celebrity to have ever competed on Strictly. The veteran TV presenter donned a hot pink outfit as was spotted in the northern seaside resort on Thursday.
She even donned a hot pink coat for the occasion, which was very similar to one she wore to present the original show 30 years ago, as she larked around with Strictly professional partner Kai Widdrington. Though the pair were smiling as they wrapped up against the cold, Angela and Kai became embroiled in a ‘fix’ row last week after the judges chose to save them over Channel 4 newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy and dance partner Lauren Oatley.
Angela Rippon dazzled in a hot pink coat as she was spotted in Blackpool with Strictly partner Kai Widdrington (SplashNews.com)Viewers were left disgruntled with the judges' decision after claiming Angela "almost fell over" during her Paso Doble, which she performed to the Madonna track Hung Up. One fan fumed: "Of course Strictly fixed it for Angela to stay in for Blackpool. Angela used to host Come Dancing for years...they're going to do a Come Dancing history special, then she'll be voted out. She tripped in the dance-off FFS."
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Another wrote: "Sorry this is such a fix. How can you say 'Angela, you literally almost fell over. Krishnan you were significantly better but I'm still gonna save Angela?' This is such a fix. Never agreed with Shirley before wtf is going on?"
Seeming in good spirits after their Strictly 'fix' backlash, Kai and Angela took selfies (SplashNews.com)Angela has also been hit with claims she is never given any fast dances on the show, as she and Kai prepare to take to the dance floor at Blackpool’s iconic Tower Ballroom, where the Strictly show will air from this weekend.
Hitting back at the claims, Angela said: "Well, we did the Quickstep - there's a clue in the title - and we did the very first dance, which was the Cha, Cha, Cha... dance isn't all about being fast. It's about technique, precision, and I think that's what we've done in the last two particularly. While it may not look as if it's exhausting, to actually get that physical, muscular precision requires a heck of a lot of energy in a different way."
Speaking ahead of their Charleston, Kai also defended his dance partner and said: "We have something fast and it's going to be fun and we're going to go for a bit of comedy as well. Make no mistake, Angela is doing lots of steps to a fast Charleston and she's being very much lifted over my head more than once."
The pair braved the cold weather ahead of Saturday night's live show from Tower Ballroom (SplashNews.com)
Angela in a similar pink outfit presenting the original Come Dancing show in 1988 (REX/Shutterstock)However, Angela's return to Blackpool may not go as smoothly as she hoped if bookmakers are to be believed. Some think that Angela's days could be numbered and it could be her time to leave the competition. After going through two dance-offs, if she lands herself in the bottom two again this weekend, she may be sent home.
Her odds of leaving Strictly have been slashed to 2/5 with Annabel Croft just behind at 5/2. Meanwhile, Bobby Brazier, Ellie Leach, Layton Williams and Nigel Harman all seem to be safe from elimination.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "It looks as though Angela Rippon is finally out of lives; having been in the bottom two in back-to-back weeks, the odds suggest her Strictly days are numbered."
Fans also branded Angela as being "arrogant" after she was saved from the dance-off last weekend. She joined Fleur East on It Takes Two after and was asked: "Did you think it was all over?"
Angela replied: "No I didn’t," before addressing her near fall. "I mean I don’t know why, I think the floor was slippery or my shoe was slippery and it just went, but no I didn’t. I mean Kai sort of still had hold of me and I just knew what I had to do next and managed to do it."
However, viewers weren't happy with her response as one said: "Angela Ripping still being a tad arrogant that she didn't think her stumble would affect the result. We all knew that too." While another commented: "I used to like Angela Rippon but now that she's been on Strictly she's become totally insufferable the way she goes on about how fantastic she is, she did not deserve to go to Blackpool."
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*Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.40pm on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer