Strictly fans defend Angela Rippon as bosses accused of ‘ruining’ pro dancer Kai

Strictly Come Dancing fans have rushed to the defence of celebrity contestant Angela Rippon, after some complained that she'd been paired with Kai Widdrington.

Angela is the oldest Strictly contestant ever at 78, and during Saturday night's (September 16) pairing show, she was partnered with Kai, 28.

Some viewers were left fuming with the pairing, claiming that bosses had "done Kai dirty" and that they were making him the "new Anton [du Beke]".

READ MORE: Strictly crew feeling 'awkward' as pro couple 'can't keep hands off each other'

One person even went so far as to say on X, formerly Twitter: "Strictly have ruined Kai."

However many other viewers, and Kai himself, were excited by the new partnership and defended Angela.

On the pre-recorded show, Kai said: "Look at those legs, they are absolutely fantastic."

He also said that he and Angela had been "getting on like a house on fire".

Fans online defended Angela too, with one writing: "People think Kai's been done dirty again but Angela is a great dancer. She may be old but she knows how to dance and Kai is a Strictly finalist."

Another said: "I think Angela and Kai pairing will work, they might surprise us. I think they will make it pretty far."

And a third added: "Kai and Angela – great pairing!"

Kai's real-life girlfriend Nadiya Bychkova was not given a celebrity partner this year, but she will still appear in group routines.

Hunky Kai joined Strictly in 2021 and was partnered with AJ Odudu, and they were forced to drop out right before the finale as AJ suffered an injury.

Then last year he was partnered with Loose Women star Kaye Adams, and they ended up being the first elimination of the series.

This year, the other pairings are: Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk, Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice, Angela Scanlon and Carlos Gu, Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe, Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell, Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer, Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola, Jody Cundy and Jowita Przystał, Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley, Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin, Les Dennis and Nancy Xu, Nigel Harman and Katya Jones, Nikita Kanda and Gorka Márquez, and Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima.

Strictly continues with its first live show on Saturday, September 23 on BBC One

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