Rippon is the oldest ever contestant to take part in Strictly Come Dancing. <\/p>
Journalist and television presenter Angela Rippon<\/a> will make her Strictly Come Dancing<\/a> debut this September for season 21.<\/p>\n With the launch show set to take place on Saturday 16th September, this will be just weeks before Angela turns 79 on 12th October, making her the oldest contestant to ever compete on Strictly.<\/p>\n So, why now?<\/p>\n Speaking to RadioTimes.com<\/a> and other press, Angela revealed the reason she decided to sign up for the show later in life.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cI suppose in a way I\u2019m kind of wearing it like a badge of honour, because you can\u2019t get away from it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve spent a long time now since since I made the film with Dr Chris van Tulleken, How to Stay Young<\/a>, where we did proper scientific research with a group in Germany on what was the best kind of exercise to do as you get older.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the university pitted dancers who were 60-plus up to 80 against people in the gym, and the dancers came out overall as the fittest, and we decided that actually dance is the best overall mind and body exercise \u2013 and I\u2019ve been pushing that since.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m the ambassador for Silver Swans for the Royal Ballet, which is to get people \u2013 men and women \u2013 50-plus to go to a ballet class for the strength, flexibility and all of that.<\/p>\n \u201cI think if we can get the message across, that it is a great way of keeping fit even during your 20s and 30s, and think ahead to when you\u2019re going to be old.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the number of people that are dancing in their 60s and 70s or 80s and 90s, it\u2019s fantastic and it\u2019s good for the brain as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n Angela competes against the likes of Love Island<\/a> star Zara McDermott<\/a>, EastEnders<\/a> actor Bobby Brazier<\/a>, actor Adam Thomas<\/a> and more, who are just some of the contestants in the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 line-up<\/a>.<\/p>\n All these contestants are considerably younger than Rippon, but could she have a slight advantage over them, having presented Come Dancing, which was the original version of the BBC One dance show?<\/p> Asked if she thinks this will help her on the dance floor, Rippon said: \u201cI mean, I presented Come Dancing, I didn\u2019t dance.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I\u2019ve been very fortunate that I\u2019ve been around dancers for a very long time doing Come Dancing, and I was on the board of English National Ballet for 10 years, and I was the chairman for four years.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been around dancers and now I\u2019m an ambassador for Silver Swans. So I think I\u2019m quite good at looking, so I know what\u2019s required. And I did go to ballet class until I was about 17, so my brain says, \u2018Yeah I know how to do that.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cMy brain [also] says, \u2018What the hell are you doing?’\u201d<\/p> \n