Anneka Rice

Anneka’s taking on a whole new challenge as she steps out of the boiler suit and into a ballgown!

The award-winning broadcaster kickstarted her glittering career with a training course at the BBC, moving onto The World Service before heading to Hong Kong to work for English-speaking TV company TVB. At the age of 22 she returned to the UK, taking up her iconic role as the Sky Runner in Channel 4’s Treasure Hunt.

Regarded at the UK’s action girl, Anneka then went on to present Sporting Chance, TVAM, Driving Force, Wish You Were Here, Capital Woman, Combat and Hell’s Kitchen, as well as landing her own BBC One show Challenge Anneka.

Motherhood then signalled a whole new adventure for her, as she decided to take time away from the media to focus on her family and studies at Chelsea College of Art. She’s now an accomplished artist, selling paintings to celebrity fans such as Ronnie Wood.

So surely her creative streak extends to dancing too? “I’ve tried a few times to dance - two Zumba classes, disaster. I couldn’t keep up,” she said. “Could do the top half and could do the bottom half, but not the same time or in the right order.”

We always said Strictly was a challenge, Anneka!