Television legend Angela Rippon has revealed her former professional partner Kai Widdrington banned BBC cameras from their rehearsals whilst appearing on Strictly Come Dancing.
The host of Rip Off Britain, whose performances captivated viewers last year, made the revelation during a conversation with the Express.
She became the eighth celebrity eliminated from the competition in 2023, departing Blackpool with an emotional farewell after winning over the nation.
She praised Kai as a “gentleman” and “lovely man”, revealing how he insisted the filming crew leave so one of their routines could remain under wraps.
Speaking about their couple’s choice performance, she said: “It wasn’t the couple’s choice, it was Kai’s choice,” before explaining how he challenged her capabilities, reports Wales Online.
View 2 Images Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington on Strictly Come Dancing(Image: BBC)
Discussing the iconic high kick, she disclosed that Kai evaluated her flexibility before making her execute it in front of him multiple times.
Angela added: “So I did it again and as I kick he caught my foot and he just kept pushing it and it got level to my nose, and he said ‘that’ll do’.Angela added: “You have camera crews in filming it. So when we were rehearsing, you would get to that part of the dance at the end and he wouldn’t do it.
He never, ever wanted it filmed. “He referred to it as our Easter egg and insisted it would be a surprise,” she explained. His strategy seemed to have paid off, as she remembered leaving the cast and crew in awe during their dress rehearsal before the live show, according to Birmingham Live.
Angela Rippon reflected on her dance performance: “We did the whole dance and everybody saw me do it for the first time. The reaction from the audience was extraordinary,” she continued, “I remember we got to the end of it and when I looked up, everybody was on their feet applauding, and I thought, well, at least I’ve had one standing ovation, so it was hard to keep it a secret, even from the groups.”
Throughout the show, Angela developed a deep bond with her co-star, stating in a previous interview: “Kai is a gentleman. He’s a lovely man and he’s a brilliant teacher.”