Angela Rippon has admitted she is ‘enormously flattered’ at the idea of being a sex symbol at the age of 78.
The TV presenter was the talk of the internet after she made her debut performance on Strictly Come Dancing last Saturday.
The journalist, who is partnered with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, kicked her leg in the air during her dance and received high praise from the judges.
Speaking to The Mirror, she said: ‘Sex symbol? It’s a huge compliment, but a big surprise. I am enormously flattered, I mean, who wouldn’t be? I was very nervous before Saturday night because this is off-the-scale compared to anything I have done.’
Angela added that she feels it is a ‘privilege’ to do something like Strictly and she is wearing her age with pride.
Success: Angela Rippon has admitted she is ‘enormously flattered’ at the idea of being a sex symbol at the age of 78
Impressive: The TV presenter was the talk of the internet after she made her debut performance on Strictly Come Dancing last Saturday
The star told how her appearance on the BBC series has already had an impact on viewers who have thanked her for representing older women on screen.
She said: ‘I was loading my shopping trolley the other day and someone approached and thanked me, saying ‘women our age and hair colour are invisible’. And that’s the thing – you can’t write people off because of what it says on their birth certificate.’
Angela told how she is in the studio rehearsing six hours a day and the experience so far has brought her ‘unbridled joy’.
She also revealed that the leg kick she did on Saturday was a nod to her turn on the Morecambe & Wise Show in 1976 when she performed a high-kicking dance routine on the Christmas Special aged 31.
The daring performance stunned the 27 million viewers who were watching in an era when journalists never ventured into light entertainment.
For her Strictly debut, Angela looked sensational in silver fringe mini dress as she performed to Shirley Bassey’s cover of Pink’s Get The Party Started before kicking her partner lifted her leg for the dramatic finale.
The duo impressed the judges who scored 28 for their performance, which saw them briefly at the top of the leader board.
Speaking to MailOnline, Angela admitted she was ‘nervous and apprehensive’ about taking part in Strictly, with viewers set to find out her professional partner during the launch show.
Angela said: ‘Sex symbol? It’s a huge compliment, but a big surprise. I am enormously flattered, I mean, who wouldn’t be?’
Tribute: The leg kick Angela did on Saturday was a nod to her turn on the Morecambe & Wise Show in 1976 when she performed a high-kicking dance routine on the Christmas Special
The presenter added that she’s due to the physical demands of her work she’s ‘kept fit all her life.’
Angela said: ‘I’ve kept fit all my life, for the job that I do. You have to keep fit to do what we do because you never know what you’ll be asked to do next. A lot of things that I’ve done in television have been more physical.
‘You know, maybe you thought twice about diving with great white sharks or swimming with killer whales, so you never know what you’re gonna be asked to do.
‘I’ve done programmes where I’ve been on my feet for 12 hours. And you can’t do that unless you’re fit. I just kept fit and strong I suppose.’
Strictly Come Dancing 2023: Who are the couples?
Nigel Harman and Katya Jones
Bobby Brazier and Diane Buswell
Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe
Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima
Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice
Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington
Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley
Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu
Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola
Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk
Jody Cundy and Jowita Przystał
Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin
Nikita Kanda and Gorka Marquez
Les Dennis and Nancy Xu
Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer
