Why Strictly pro Brendan Cole backs Angela Rippon, 78, to win

Age has often been considered a hurdle for many contestants on Strictly Come Dancing.

However, iconic newsreader and presenter Angela Rippon could win the show at 78 – and it’s all about the attitude.

Former Strictly pro dancer Brendan Cole believes that while taking part in the contest is a challenge for anyone, taking the right approach is key.

He said: “I think she will find it very hard, but anyone will find it difficult regardless of their age. At 20 it’s challenging and at 50 it’s challenging. The physicality of Strictly is massive.

“Could she go all the way? It depends. If you’ve got the right attitude for it, you will be fine, and I know plenty of people in their 70s with an amazing attitude to life…and that’s awesome.”

Having hosted Come Dancing from 1988-91, before returning in 1998 when the show ended, Angela is used to dancers and their routines. But the regime for contestants is tough, Brendan, 47, warned.

“With Strictly it is a gruelling diary. But if you have the energy and attitude – ‘I am determined to succeed and do this’ – then I would say, ‘Go for it’.

“You always have these older contestants that you think will leave early like Bill Bailey. But he had a positive attitude.

“I loved him and that amazing hip-hop routine changed things.”

And Angela can expect praise and encouragement from judge Anton du Beke. The only pro dancer to appear in every series since 2004, the 57-year-old star joined the judging panel as a guest judge in 2020 before joining the panel permanently in 2021, to replace Bruno Tonioli.

However, while Brendan and he are good pals, he is not sure about Anton’s judging style.

“I think Anton is a brilliant judge. I really like what he does, but if you watch it, everything is lovely,” he said. “He is too positive. I do think there must be a good and a bad cop on the panel. But you can’t have everything positive because it doesn’t work.”

While Brendan has always defended his partners on the hit BBC show, there were some he famously clashed with, including Fiona Phillips. The former GMTV presenter was paired with Brendan in 2005’s series three.

She had said in a previous interview, “Brendan was a b*gger actually. He wasn’t very nice. He was really naughty.”

Fiona has since admitted she had too much pressure on at work and home at the time and regrets doing the show. And Brendan too seems to regret some of his partners.

“I miss some aspects of Strictly, but not all – you dislike things in every job. What didn’t I like? Just half of my partners. Ha!

“I struggled with many of them, it’s well-documented who they are! But I love the show and always have time for it because I was in it for 15 phenomenal series – good and bad.”