Strictly Come Dancing’s Angela Rippon became the ninth contestant to be eliminated from the competition – and she told her dance partner Kai Widdrington not to cry.
During the episode, the TV presenter, 79, and Kai found themselves in the dreaded dance-off. This week the pair went head-to-head with EastEnders star Bobby Brazier and his dance partner Dianne Buswell.
Both couples performed their routines again after finding themselves at the bottom the leaderboard. The soap star performed the jive to Wake Me UP Before You Go-go by Wham! While Angela and Kai danced the American Smooth to Tea For Two by Ella Fitzgerald.
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After both couples had danced a second time, the judges delivered their verdicts with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas unanimously choosing to save Bobby and Dianne.
(Image: BBC)
After Tess delivered the news, Angela thanked her dance partner for the joyous experience. She said: “The person who has to get the most credit is this gentleman here.
“I keep telling him he’s an old soul on young shoulders. He’s 28 and I’m 79 so there’s a 51 year difference in our age but he has looked after me so brilliantly.
“He’s a wonderful dancer, a great choreographer, but most of all, he’s a terrific teacher. And he has the patience of a saint, he really does.”
(Image: BBC)
Poor Kai was overcome with emotion and started welling up. But Angela didn’t want to see him upset as she told him: “Don’t you dare cry.”
“All I can say is that he got me here and he and his partner Nadiya are in every sense of the word, beautiful people. And I am so pleased to have you in my life.”
Kai delivered an equally gushing tribute to the TV legend. He said: “Since week one when I met this amazing woman, you know as she said, I wasn’t even born when she did Come Dancing.
(Image: BBC)
“I had to ask my parents about this amazing Morecambe and Wise moment that was so famous. And like Angela just said, there’s a 50-year age gap between us but I feel like I’ve known her for fifty years.
“We’re like mates and I’m so proud of you, you should be proud of yourself and it’s been my absolute honour and pleasure to dance with you, especially in this beautiful ballroom tonight.”
It didn’t take long before fans flooded to the social media platform X – formerly known as Twitter – to share their thoughts online. One user penned: “#Strictly Sad seeing Angela go but it’s been coming for a while and Bobby should never have been in the bottom two.
(Image: BBC)
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“Dancing Queen Angela leaves at the home of ballroom,” they gushed. Another agreed: “Angela Rippon has been an inspiration on #Strictly, I hope I can dance like her if I get to 79!”
A third gushed: “How cute was Angela Rippon’s goodbye speech though [crying emoji]. Bless Kai, you could tell this partnership meant so much to him #Strictly.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
