Strictly's Angela Rippon addresses her previous dance experience
Angela Rippon has addressed speculation about her dance experience ahead of her Strictly Come Dancing debut.
The legendary BBC News presenter has gone viral since being announced for Strictly, as fans rediscovered her appearance on Morecambe and Wise's 1976 Christmas special.
In the clip, Angela can be seen sending up her newscasts before joining Eric and Ernie for a high-kicking dance routine. Of course, Angela was also a presenter on Strictly's predecessor Come Dancing for years.
The Strictly Come Dancing star told Digital Spy and other press that fans may be slightly overestimating her dance skills heading into the launch show.
"I was 37 for [Morecambe and Wise]! It was a very long time ago," she pointed out. "I presented Come Dancing, I didn't dance in Come Dancing.
"But I'm very fortunate I've been around dancers for a very long time and doing Come Dancing, I was chairman of the English National Ballet for four years – I've been around dancers. So I know what's required and I did go to ballet class until I was about 17."
Strictly co-star Angela Scanlon hinted Rippon's long legs could end up as her secret weapon once the competition begins.
Rippon added: "My brain says, 'oh I can do that', my body says, 'what the hell do you think you are doing?!'"
Head judge Shirley Ballas recently defended this year's contestants, insisting those with dance experience in other genres won't have any advantage in the ballroom.
"I think it's very unfair at this point to single out anybody, because most children had a little bit of training," she told The Mirror.
"If somebody goes to stage school for singing and acting, there's always normally a little bit of dance included. It might not be their forte. It's nothing like learning ballroom dancing. It's a total discipline all of its own."
Strictly Come Dancing returns for its launch special on September 16 on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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