Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe leave Strictly rehearsals in fits of laughter

Annabel Croft couldn’t stop smiling when she stepped out of Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals alongside her professional dance partner Johannes Radebe on Thursday.

The tennis star, 57, couldn’t stop giggling even after a gruelling 10-hour training session ahead of Saturday night’s live show.

The presenter carried lots of heavy bags in hand as she made her way to the car with Johannes, 37.

Annabel was also captured in a sweet moment as she stamped a kiss on the choreographer’s cheek.

While making her way out, the radio host flashed a happy grin to the camera and couldn’t let go of her special Strictly’s bottle with her name printed on it.

Full of glee: Annabel Croft, 57, couldn’t stop smiling when she stepped out of Strictly Come Dancing rehearsas alongside her dancing partner Johannes Radebe, 37, on Thursday

Unstoppable: The tennis star looked cheery even after a gruelling 10-hour training session ahead of Saturday night’s live show

The tennis player bundled up in a camel coat as she had both her hands busy with bags, and kept it comfortable in beige trainers.

Meanwhile South African pro dancer Johannes looked stylish in an electric blue turtleneck jumper and denim, teamed with a black coat.

Last Saturday night saw the pair dancing an energetic jive to Feel It Still by Portugal The Man and scored an impressive 29. 

Annabel looked sensational in a red, black and white 60s minidress that showed off her incredibly toned legs.

She showcased her fitness and skill as she performed the tricky choreography and even ended the performance with a surprise cartwheel.

Viewers were blown away by the performance and their admiration only grew when they discovered Annabel’s real age, taking to Twitter to praise the sports star. 

One user wrote: ‘Ohhh, WOW! @Annabel_Croft doing a cartwheel at 57. Absolutely flipping awesome!! She’s FABULOUS.’ 

Pals: Annabel was also captured in a sweet moment as she stamped a kiss on the choreographer’s cheek

Ensemble: The tennis player bundled up in a camel coat and kept it comfortable in beige trainers

Cannot believe it! Strictly Come Dancing fans have been impressed by Annabel’s skills 

Wow! Last Saturday night saw the pair dancing an energetic jive t o Feel It Still by Portugal The Man and scored an impressive 29

‘Annabel, you Hotty McHotski! Those legs! I love her!,’ another person penned.

And a third praised: ‘Wow @Annabel_Croft incredible performance its weird to ask a lady her age but you looked like a 20 odd year old Amazing’. 

The tennis star recently got candid about how Strictly has helped her to ‘be in the moment’ as she grieves her late husband Mel Coleman.

Her husband and father to their three children, Charlie, Amber and Lilly, died earlier this year, aged 60, a few weeks after he was diagnosed with stage three cancer.

The tragedy is what inspired her to take part in the competition and she insists it has helped take her mind off her difficulties at times. 

Annabel told the Mirror: ‘I just love the fact that it just takes you away to a different place, trying something completely different, but also try and let go and try to be in the moment. We’re trying to get there, I don’t think I’ve got there yet.

‘But try to feel the music and start to, once you’ve got the steps, then just to let go of everything and just dance and just be free in your spirit. And it is very joyful. It does take me back to my childhood a little bit.’

Former America’s Cup yachtsman Mel passed away just two months after he started complaining of stomach pain.

And Annabel recently told Lorraine Kelly during an appearance on her ITV1 show how dancing has helped her rest her brain from ‘thinking too many dark thoughts’.

She said: ‘It’s been a nice distraction from grief.

‘It’s been nice to do something joyful and use my body and try to rest my brain from thinking too many dark thoughts.’

The radio presenter previously revealed she was in a dark place following Mel’s passing and she cried every day in the weeks following the loss.

Before Strictly, she said she hoped the gruelling training schedule would help take her mind off the heartache and help her ‘find some joyfulness’.

Since being on the show, Annabel has revealed that her spirits are higher and the competition has allowed her to get stuck into a new challenge.

But her time on the dancefloor will be bittersweet without her husband of 31 years there to cheer her on.

‘He always loved the show and he used to cry watching it,’ she said previously. ‘So I’m completely heartbroken that he’s not here to watch with me.

Overcoming heartache: Her dazzling performance comes after Annabel told how Strictly has helped her to ‘be in the moment’ as she grieves her late husband Mel Coleman

Devastating: Her husband and father to their three children, Charlie, Amber and Lilly, died earlier this year, aged 60, a few weeks after he was diagnosed with stage three cancer (pictured together  in 2021)

Bittersweet: Annabel told the Metro that Mel was also a big fan of her dance partner Johannes, saying: ‘[Mel] always loved the show, he loved watching Johannes. He got very emotional watching Johannes actually’

Annabel told the Metro that Mel was also a big fan of her dance partner Johannes, saying: ‘[Mel] always loved the show, he loved watching Johannes. He got very emotional watching Johannes actually. 

‘I can picture him in the kitchen and calling us all to the screen to watch [Johannes] so I’m a bit sad that he’s not here to witness it. 

‘That would have been a big thing for us as a family.’