Strictly stars Kai Widdrington and Angela Rippon smiling
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Kai Widdrington says Strictly partner Angela Rippon is ‘even nicer off camera’: ‘She hates me for saying it’

Kai and Angela danced on Strictly together in 2023

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Kai Widdrington has made a gushing confession about his Strictly partner Angela Rippon as he opened up about what she’s like off camera.

The pair danced together on the 2023 series of Strictly Come Dancing. They were eliminated eighth. Like many pros and their celeb partners, Kai and Angela’s friendship has continued away from the dance floor.

In a new interview, Kai spoke about what Angela was like away from the cameras as he admitted she was “even nicer”.

Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington smiling on Strictly
Angela and Kai danced together on Strictly last year (Credit: BBC)

Kai Widdrington and Angela Rippon on Strictly

Speaking to Bella magazine alongside his girlfriend Nadiya Bychkova, Kai said: “I’m still very much in touch with Angela. I think the whole nation loves her even more now after her Strictly stint.

“Everyone will be pleased to know that she’s even nicer off camera. If anyone deserves to be a bit of a diva behind the scenes, it’s her – she’s been in the business over half a century – but she couldn’t be nicer to everyone she works with.”

The dancer added: “She hates me for saying it, but she really is a national treasure.”

Back in November, when Angela and Kai were eliminated from Strictly, Kai gushed over their partnership.

Speaking on Instagram, Kai wrote: “What an amazing 10 weeks with the legend that is @theangelarippon. We promised we’d be ‘Rippon’ up the dance floor and we did.

Everyone will be pleased to know that she’s even nicer off camera.

“Thank you to all the people that supported our journey and a huge thanks to Angela – you never complained once despite the injuries, the brutal training regime and the increasingly complex routines.”

Kai went on: “It was my pleasure and a privilege to dance with you, you taught us all that age really is just a number.

“We’ll see you all for the live shows in January and I promise, we might be out but we’ll still keeeeeeeep dancing.”

Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington smiling on Strictly
Kai said Angela is “even nicer off camera” (Credit: BBC)

Angela Rippon on Strictly

This year, Angela and Kai danced together on the live Strictly tour. In February, Angela reflected on the tour during its final week.

She said: “It’s the final week of the Strictly tour and we just wanted to pop on here to say thank you to everyone who has come to watch the tour and to anyone coming over the next few days to see us.

“We’re all having such a blast and there’s some terrific dancing going on.”

Read more: Strictly branded ‘really degrading’ by GBBO star Fern Brady: ‘Couldn’t think of anything worse’

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Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)