Ann Widdecombe’s Strictly Come Dancing Journey

The Unforgettable Ballroom Star - Ann Widdecombe

Strictly Come Dancing has produced many extraordinary contestants. There have been Olympic champions, West End performers, pop stars, actors and celebrities.

Then, in 2010, came Ann Widdecombe.

The recently retired politician arrived in the Strictly ballroom at the age of 62 with no previous dance background, no intention of reinventing herself as Ginger Rogers and, seemingly, little concern about what the judges might think of her.

What followed was one of the most memorable partnerships in the programme’s history. Her popularity during her time on Strictly led to her return in 2018 for the Christmas Special.

Ann did not become a technically accomplished ballroom dancer. She did, however, become the epitome of Strictly good fun. Her routines were pure entertainment: unpredictable, gloriously theatrical and performed with an infectious refusal to take the whole thing too seriously.

Anton and Ann: The Perfect Partnership

Pairing Ann with Anton Du Beke was an inspired decision.

By 2010, Anton was already established as Strictly’s resident ballroom gentleman: immaculately presented, quick-witted and capable of maintaining a smile through almost anything. He understood traditional ballroom dancing and, possibly more importantly, understood fantastic entertainment.

Anton understood from the start that Ann was unlikely to be a contender for the Glitterball Trophy on the strength of her ability. Therefore, he choreographed routines that suited her personality and were highly entertaining, which Ann approached with determination, self-mockery and no fear of embarrassment.

Behind the scenes, their relationship appears to have been genuinely affectionate. During an interview conducted while they were training, Anton repeatedly teased Ann, at one point interrupting one of her stories to announce that it was the first time she had demonstrated good timing since they met.

Ann later described Strictly as a period of “prolonged frivolity”, something she felt she had not experienced since her university days. After 23 years in Parliament, she relished participating in something that, as she put it, did not really matter. She was not seeking an emotional journey, personal transformation or spiritual awakening. She was simply having fun.

Week 1: A Surprisingly Respectable Waltz

Ann and Anton began their campaign on Strictly Come Dancing with a Waltz to “My Cherie” by Al Martino.

It was careful, traditional and considerably more recognisable as ballroom dancing than some of the routines that would follow. Ann remained upright, Anton remained composed, and the judges awarded them 17 points.

For any other contestant, 17 might have represented a difficult beginning, but for Ann, it became one of her strongest scores.

The Waltz established the basic formula of their partnership. Anton would provide the technique, frame and sweeping movement. Ann would follow with great seriousness, while giving the impression that she was simultaneously resisting an attempt to move a

particularly substantial wardrobe across the floor.

Week 2: The Salsa That Changed Everything

Their second routine was a Salsa to “Mambo Italiano”.

This was the moment the competition discovered what Latin dance might look like when performed by Ann Widdecombe.

The routine earned them just 12 points, including a 1 from Craig Revel Horwood. It placed them firmly at the bottom of the leaderboard. However, the public thought otherwise, and voted to keep them in.

From that point onwards, Ann and Anton were no longer the outsiders whom the judges expected to be voted out within the first few weeks. They became a public-vote phenomenon.

Week 3: Puttin’ on the Ritz

Their Quickstep to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” was an obvious choice for Anton, whose elegant ballroom persona suited the old-fashioned glamour of the song.

Ann received 18 points, a slight improvement on her Waltz, and the performance included more recognisable ballroom content. Anton guided her around the floor with enthusiasm, while Ann tackled the speed of the dance with the expression of someone determined to reach a railway platform before the train doors closed.

Week 4: Then Came the Tango

Dancing to “La Cumparsita”, Ann began the routine suspended above the ballroom in a harness. She descended towards Anton with her arms extended, creating one of the defining images of the entire series.

The flight had an internal logic. If getting Ann to move rapidly across the dance floor presented a choreographic challenge, Anton had apparently decided that delivering her through the air might be more efficient.

The judges awarded them 21 points, Ann’s highest score of the series. Technically, therefore, the flying Tango was her finest hour.

The harness became part of Strictly history. Years later, retrospectives continued to identify the sight of Ann sailing through the air towards Anton as one of the

programme’s most unforgettable moments.

Halloween and the wildest of Wild Things

For Halloween Week, Ann and Anton performed a Paso Doble to “Wild Thing” by The Troggs.

The Paso Doble is normally defined by proud posture, strong shaping, dramatic lines and the stylised relationship between matador and cape.

Ann’s interpretation was more difficult to classify.

Wearing an elaborate costume and approaching the routine with fearsome commitment, she stamped, marched and swept her way around the floor while Anton attempted to shape the proceedings into something resembling a Paso.

The judges gave them 16 points. Ann, by now, seemed almost immune to their criticism. She listened, responded when necessary and returned the following week ready to do it all again.

Charleston Chaos

In Week 6, Ann and Anton danced a Charleston to “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love.”

The Charleston’s exaggerated character, comedy and theatrical freedom suited Ann better than the controlled sensuality of many Latin dances.

Anton could build the routine around exaggerated facial expressions and movements without pretending they were delivering a conventional competitive performance.

They scored 17 points and survived once again.

By now, the competition was becoming divided between those who found Ann’s continued survival hilarious and those who believed stronger dancers were being placed at risk.

Comparisons were inevitably made with political journalist John Sergeant, whose popularity had carried him deep into the 2008 series before he voluntarily withdrew.

Ann insisted that she would not do the same. She had entered a public-vote competition and intended to remain until the public stopped voting for her.

A Foxtrot with Genuine Charm

In Week 7, Ann and Anton performed a Foxtrot to “You Make Me Feel So Young”.

Of all their dances, the Foxtrot perhaps came closest to capturing the partnership at its most affectionate. The style allowed Anton to return to the polished ballroom world in which he was most comfortable, while Ann could concentrate on dancing in hold without being required to shake, gyrate or impersonate a matador.

They received 20 points, their second-highest score.

The performance was highly entertaining and naturally affectionate.

Blackpool: Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel

Reaching Blackpool is a significant achievement for any Strictly contestant. Ann and Anton made it there in Week 8 and danced a Samba to “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel” by Tavares.

Ann appeared in a bright yellow, feathered costume and entered the vast Tower Ballroom with complete confidence.

The Samba itself was less Carnival in Rio and more determined progress along the Blackpool promenade during a severe coastal wind.

Anton danced around her, manoeuvred her and occasionally appeared to be attempting to generate enough momentum to launch the partnership into another aerial sequence.

They scored 13 points, with Craig again awarding a 1.

The routine became one of Ann’s most famous performances. Even Strictly retrospectives celebrating the programme’s greatest and most outrageous moments have continued to remember her Blackpool Samba.

The Titanic Rumba

Week 9 brought the Rumba, traditionally one of the most exposing dances for a celebrity contestant.

Ann and Anton performed to “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic.

The romantic Rumba generally demands controlled movement, emotional connection, hip action and a degree of sensuality. This presented an immediate problem because Ann had made her boundaries very clear before the series began.

When negotiating her Strictly contract, she had insisted that she would not wear anything she considered revealing or perform movements she regarded as immodest or suggestive.

Anton therefore constructed a characteristically unconventional Rumba around the Titanic theme. It was romantic in the broadest possible sense, but nobody watching was in danger of feeling they had intruded upon a private moment.

They scored 14 points and survived yet again.

Hello, Dolly! Goodbye Ann

For Movie Week and the quarter-final, Ann and Anton danced an American Smooth to “Hello, Dolly!”

The style was well suited to Anton’s theatrical ballroom choreography, and the routine allowed the pair to finish their run with a performance full of character, showmanship and classic musical-comedy atmosphere.

They received 14 points and were finally eliminated, finishing the series in sixth place.

Their departure came after ten competitive routines, despite having repeatedly occupied the bottom of the leaderboard.

Effort, Enthusiasm and Entertainment

It would be easy to remember Ann Widdecombe’s Strictly experience through the harness, the yellow feathered dress, the stamping and Anton’s increasingly imaginative methods of moving her around the floor.

Those moments were hugely entertaining, but there was also something more meaningful beneath the comedy.

Ann showed that dancing can be fun and accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

She entered an environment well outside her comfort zone, embraced the challenge wholeheartedly and approached each routine with courage, determination and a refreshing willingness to laugh at herself.

Anton did a brilliant job of making the choreography manageable while ensuring that every routine remained memorable. Their Strictly journey was a celebration of effort, character and pure entertainment.

Ann may not have been transformed into a polished dancer, but her warmth, resilience and sense of fun shone through. Together, they created a partnership that was regarded with genuine affection and won the hearts of the nation.