BBC Strictly’s Anton du Beke hits back at Angela Rippon backlash

Strictly: Angela Rippon is eliminated from the show

Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton du Beke has spoken out on the conspiracy that Angela Rippon was always going to make it to Blackpool whether she could dance or not.

Viewers of the show claimed that Angela had lasted so long because of her long-standing connection to the show.

She formerly presented Come Dancing, the original dance competition that gave Strictly its name.

Speaking to Radio Times’ Jane Garvey, Anton explained he’s never been asked to rig the voting, as she asked: “Angela Rippon was always going to get to Blackpool, wasn’t she?”

Anton hit back: “No, are you mad? No. If she was terrible in week one she’d have been first to go, probably. It doesn’t really work that way.”

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Jane added: “So, though, if she had, and I take your point. Week one, she was actually brilliant, standout performance.

“But did she deserve it on her dance ability, without patronising somebody, to get to Blackpool?”

Anton simply stated: “Yes,” leaving Jane to probe: “Without question?”.

Anton exclaimed: “Yeah. But we had the opportunity as judges to eliminate. And we chose not to because she was worthy of a place in the dance-off to stay in the competition.

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“Because the suggestion is that we care more about who stays and who goes out than we do, we don’t care. Makes no difference to us.

“What does it make to me? The producers don’t speak to me. They don’t come to me and go, Listen, we wouldn’t mind if you kept such and such in.”

Angela and Kai had to face Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell in the dance-off on Sunday, with all four judges unanimously saving Bobby and Dianne.

Speaking about her time on the show, Angela said: “I have had the time of my life, people keep making reference to the fact that I presented Come Dancing, but that was forty years ago, that was a different time! He [Kai] wasn’t even born then!

“But actually being this side of the competition, this side of the programme has been really an eye opener for me in so many different ways.

“Everybody talks about the team and all the pros – everyone who has danced – there is a real team spirit in this programme, unlike anything I’ve come across anywhere else in any of the many programmes I’ve done.

“It’s absolutely fabulous. They support us, they encourage us all the time – it’s absolutely wonderful. But the person who really has to get the most credit is this gentleman here [to Kai].

“He’s an old soul on young shoulders. He’s 28 and I’m 79, there’s a 51-year difference in our ages. He has looked after me so brilliantly, he’s a wonderful dancer and a great choreographer, but he’s a terrific teacher.

“And he has the patience of a saint! All I can say is that you’ve [to Kai] got me here so don’t you dare cry!

“He and his partner, Nadiya [Bychkova], are in every sense of the word beautiful people and I am so pleased to have you in my life.”

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturday from 7:30pm on BBC One, followed by the results show on Sunday from 7:15pm on BBC One.

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