Angela Rippon bows out in Blackpool
The Blackpool extravaganza marks the end of Angela and Kai’s Strictly journey after facing Bobby and Dianne in the Dance Off.
Bobby and Dianne performed their Jive to Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham!, and Angela and Kai performed their American Smooth to Tea For Two by Ella Fitzgerald in a bid to impress the Judges and remain in the competition.
After both couples danced in the iconic Tower Ballroom for a second time it was down to the Judges to deliver their verdicts.
When making her decision, Motsi said: “I felt that both couples danced so beautifully. Really one of the most beautiful Dance Offs we have had. I am going to save Bobby and Dianne.”
Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke both decided to save Bobby and Dianne too, meaning that they had won the majority vote and would be staying in the competition regardless. Head Judge Shirley Ballas also said that she would have decided to save Bobby and Dianne.
When asked by Tess about her time on the show, Angela said: “I have to tell you that the last nine weeks have probably been the most terrifying, the most fantastic, the most glorious, the most joyful that I have spent for a very long time in my profession.”
“I have had the time of my life, people keep making reference to the fact that I presented Come Dancing, but that was forty years ago, that was a different time! He [Kai] wasn’t even born then! But actually, being this side of the competition, this side of the programme has been really an eye opener for me in so many different ways. Everybody talks about the team and all the Pros - everyone who has danced – there is a real team spirit in this programme unlike anything I’ve come across anywhere else in any of the many programmes I’ve done. It’s absolutely fabulous. They support us, they encourage us all the time – it’s absolutely wonderful. But the person who really has to get the most credit is this gentleman here [to Kai].”
“He’s [Kai] an old soul on young shoulders. He’s 28 and I’m 79, there’s a 51-year difference in our ages. He has looked after me so brilliantly, he’s a wonderful dancer, a great choreographer, but he’s a terrific teacher… and he has the patience of a saint! All I can say is that you’ve [to Kai] got me here so don’t you dare cry! He and his partner, Nadiya, are in every sense of the word beautiful people and I am so pleased to have you in my life.”
Kai said: “Since Week One when I met this amazing woman – as she said I wasn’t even born when she did Come Dancing, I had to ask my parents about the amazing Morecombe and Wise moment that was so famous, and about Come Dancing. Like Angela just said, there’s a 50-year age gap between us, but we’re like mates!"
“Dancing with you [to Angela] the whole way through this competition has just been such a celebration of yourself and her life and I wish she could see me now. I’m so proud of you [to Angela] and you should be proud of yourself, it’s been my absolute honour and pleasure to dance with you especially in this beautiful Ballroom.”
She’s leaving the show with brilliant memories and friends for life, and to us she’ll always be an icon. Catch them both for one last time on tomorrow’s It Takes Two at 6:30pm on BBC Two!
