Strictly Come Dancing is officially back, and one of the celebrities taking to the legendary dance floor in this year’s series is host Angela Rippon.
The 78-year-old, who is making history as the oldest contestant to compete on the show, is partnered with professional dancer Kai Widdrington – and will no doubt impress viewers with his incredible routine on Saturday night.
Although Angela is a household name across the nation thanks to her illustrious career as a journalist, how much do you know about her family life? Find out everything we know here, from where she lives to her relationship history…
WATCH: The full celebrity line-up for Strictly Come Dancing 2023
Where does Angela Rippon live?
Angela lives in London but spends her time between the UK capital and her native Devon.
In an interview with The Times in 2017, Angela explained that although her main residence is in Kensington, West London, she travels to Devon every Christmas to spend the festive period with her family.
© Ken McKay/ITV/ShutterstockAngela spends her time between Devon and London
“I inherited the family home just outside Tavistock on the edge of Dartmoor when my mother died,” she said. “Extended family, including my godson and his wife, always join me there for Christmas.”
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© GettyAngela is known for her long career in journalism
Angela Rippon Relationship History and Family Life
In 1967, at the age of 22, Angela married her childhood sweetheart Christopher Dare, whom she first met at a YMCA dance when she was 17.
The couple lived in a 17th-century cottage in Devon during their 20-year marriage, which ended when they divorced in 1989.
In a previous interview with Modern&Mature, Angela said that while the split was not “harsh”, it was a stressful time in her life.
© Monty Fresco/ANL/ShutterstockAngela Rippon with her ex-husband Christopher Dare
– It was stress, of course it was – she said. “It was a very stressful time for various reasons. My immediate feeling was, ‘Oh my God, I failed at this.’ But actually, he and I are still good friends.”
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She then revealed that she and Christopher talk on the phone twice a month and via email. The host also detailed the “good” relationship she has with her ex-husband’s partner, Judy. “He now lives in Spain with his partner, Judy. We exchange birthday and Christmas cards,” she said.
© Shutterstock Angela was the host of Come Dancing in the 1980s
“Judy kind of keeps me up to date with what they’re doing with their home in Spain. It’s a good relationship for all of us.”
Although Angela and Christopher never had children, the presenter is close to her godson and two “honorary godsons”, who are the offspring of her two closest friends. “I had young people around me. I was there when they were babies and I saw them grow, so I feel like I have a kind of surrogate family,” she told Modern & mature.
In 2015, Angela revealed that she didn’t think she would remarry anytime soon. “I discovered that I was very happy being single,” she told the Daily Mail. “I guess, to be honest, when your heart is broken, it hurts and I don’t want to go there anymore.”
Every previous winner of Strictly Come Dancing
- 2004: Natisha Kaplinsky (partner of Brendan Cole)
- 2004: Jill Halfpenny (partner Darren Bennett)
- 2005: Darren Gough (partner of Lilia Kopylova)
- 2006: Mark Ramprakash (partner of Karen Hardy)
- 2007: Alesha Dixon (partner Matthew Cutler)
- 2008: Tom Chambers (partner of Camilla Dallerup)
- 2009: Chris Hollins (partner of Ola Jordan)
- 2010: Kara Tointon (partner Artem Chigvintsev)
- 2011: Harry Judd (partner of Aliona Vilani)
- 2012: Louis Smith (partner of Flavia Cacace)
- 2013: Abbey Clancy (partner Aljaž Škorjanec)
- 2014: Caroline Flack (partner Pasha Kovalev)
- 2015: Jay McGuiness (partner of Aliona Vilani)
- 2016: Ore Oduba (partner of Joanne Clifton)
- 2017: Joe McFadden (partner of Katya Jones)
- 2018: Stacey Dooley (partner Kevin Clifton)
- 2019: Kelvin Fletcher (partner of Oti Mabuse)
- 2020: Bill Bailey (partner of Oti Mabuse)
- 2021: Rose Ayling-Ellis (partner Giovanni Pernice)
- 2022: Hamza Yassin (partner of Jowita Przystał)
Categories: Entertaintment
Source: HIS Education