Ann Widdecombe: 'I was the dresser's nightmare on Strictly'
Ann Widdecombe was a fan-favourite on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010.
Ann Widdecombe admitted being "the dresser's nightmare" on Strictly Come Dancing.
The 78-year-old TV personality "insisted on" having leggings that matched her multiple brightly-coloured outfits to dodge wardrobe malfunctions when her professional dance partner Anton Du Beke whisked her around the dance floor in 2010.
Ann wrote in her latest column for Best magazine: "I was the dresser's nightmare on Strictly.
"I insisted on knee-length matching leggings underneath my dresses so that Anton could throw me about without either of us fearing a wardrobe malfunction."
The star won the nation's hearts with her and Anton's comedic performances each week, and viewers kept the duo in the BBC Latin and Ballroom dance competition for 10 weeks.
And their unexpected longevity on Strictly Come Dancing gave the costume team a "headache" with hunting for Ann's matching leggings.
Ann - a former politician - penned: "It gave the programme a headache when I lasted 10 weeks, and they were left with nine brightly coloured leggings."
In December 2018, Ann returned to the ballroom for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, in which she and Anton performed an American Smooth to Sisters from White Christmas.
Although she was "really looking forward to the fun", the same could not be said about getting glammed up.
Ann added at the time: "I don’t much like the glam stuff. It takes me hours to wash the muck out my hair – and I don’t imagine they’ll let me go on Strictly in my gardening trousers – but I do look forward to the atmosphere!"
In August 2024, Anton - who replaced Bruno Tonioli, 70, as judge in 2021 - said Ann was a "remarkable" dance partner.
During an appearance on BBC Breakfast, he recalled: "We had the most brilliant time, and I can say that about all of my partners."
Anton, 59, relished all of his celebrity dance partners on Strictly Come Dancing.
He reflected: "I enjoyed my time as a professional dancer enormously.
"I had the most wonderful relationships with all my partners, who I wouldn't have changed for the world, all of them.
"And I got the great opportunity to spend some brilliant time with some incredibly interesting and wonderful ladies that I probably wouldn't have crossed paths with [otherwise], even in the industry."
