Angela Rippon, 80, Talks Mortality: Aiming to ‘Die Young – As Late as Possible’

Angela Rippon has revealed it is her ambition to ‘die young – as late as possible’. 

The TV presenter, 80, delivered a powerful message about the importance of movement at every stage of life. 

Speaking on the Dr Louise Newson Podcast, Angela explored the profound impact that movement, and particularly dance, can have on physical and mental health, social connection, and even disease prevention.   

‘You can do it at any age. It doesn’t matter what your age is or your physical condition – dance is the superpower,’ Angela said.

‘My ambition is to die young—as late as possible. And that’s what dance will help you to do.

Angela Rippon has revealed it is her ambition to ‘die young – as late as possible’

The TV presenter, 80, delivered a powerful message about the importance of movement at every stage of life (pictured in June 2025) 

‘The body is a machine and like any machine it’s full of millions of moving parts and if you don’t look after it, it will seize up and rust. You have to keep it moving.’ 

Angela took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2023 and became the oldest contestant in the show’s history at 76. 

Exalting the benefits of dance, she continued: ‘It should be prevention always, rather than cure. If you can stop things before they happen then you don’t need expensive pharmaceuticals or hospital treatments.’

‘Dance is a miracle for people with Parkinsons. Music helps them control their actions, improves their gait and improves their mobility. 

‘153,000 people in the UK are registered with Parkinsons – 50,000 of those get dance classes. I want the other 103,000 to get dance classes!’

‘In a single year, on average 1.6 million people over 60 will have a fall and do damage to themselves…we could save the NHS up to £4 billion a year (with dance). Think of dance as making an investment in your wellbeing pension plan.’

Elsewhere during the interview, Angela spoke about gender equality in broadcasting, saying huge strides have been made since she first started out. 

‘It’ll be 59 years since I did my very first broadcast – to see the amount of young women who work in TV now is wonderful. To walk into any television studio and seeing the amount of women there are. 

She said: ‘My ambition is to die young—as late as possible. And that’s what dance will help you to do’ (pictured on Strictly Come Dancing with Kai Widdrington in 2023) 

‘The amount of male TV executives who have grown up not with the old boy’s network, but alongside women who are good at what they do.’ 

Angela – who was awarded an OBE in 2004 for her services to broadcasting, charity and the arts – celebrated her 80th birthday with four lavish bashes in October last year.

Speaking to the Mail at an afternoon tea party at The Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, she said: ‘I actually don’t know what it’s like to be 80 and I have no intention of finding out.

‘I intend to spend however long I’ve got on this perch growing old disgracefully, because it’s a lot more fun.’