“SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN 79 TODAY…” ANN WIDDECOMBE’S STRICTLY MEMORIES HIT DIFFERENT NOW

The former politician became one of Strictly Come Dancing’s most unexpected stars — and her partnership with Anton Du Beke created moments fans would never forget.

There was never going to be anything ordinary about Ann Widdecombe on the dance floor.

When the former Conservative MP stepped onto the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom in 2010, few expected her to become one of the show’s most memorable contestants.

She was not known for elegant footwork.

She was not a natural dancer.

And the judges certainly did not make it easy for her.

But Ann had something that could not be measured by a score.

She had personality.

She had humor.

And, perhaps most importantly, she was willing to laugh at herself.

Years later, those performances have taken on a very different meaning following her death at the age of 78 in July 2026.

THE UNLIKELY DANCER WHO WON VIEWERS OVER

Ann Widdecombe joined the 2010 series after leaving Parliament, having served as a Conservative MP for Maidstone and the Weald for more than two decades.

She was paired with professional dancer Anton Du Beke.

The partnership quickly became one of the most entertaining pairings in the show’s history.

Anton was an experienced ballroom professional.

Ann was, by her own admission, stepping far outside her comfort zone.

Their routines sometimes involved more effort than elegance, but that became part of the magic.

Instead of pretending she was a professional dancer, Ann embraced the absurdity of the experience.

She joked about her performances, answered back to the judges and seemed completely determined to enjoy herself.

And audiences loved her for it.

The Guardian’s obituary noted that she unexpectedly survived for nine weeks, despite receiving low scores, largely because viewers continued to support her.

ANTON DU BEKE BECAME HER PARTNER — AND HER FRIEND

Behind the comedy was a genuine friendship.

Anton had the difficult task of guiding Ann through increasingly ambitious routines, sometimes literally helping her around the dance floor.

Their chemistry became one of the defining features of her Strictly journey.

Years later, Anton would remember the experience with enormous affection.

Following news of Ann’s death, he described their time together as brilliant and said she had become a real friend.

That friendship is one reason the old footage feels so emotional today.

What once looked like a funny television partnership now serves as a reminder of a woman who was willing to take on something completely unfamiliar — simply because she wanted to experience it.

THE PERFORMANCES FANS STILL REMEMBER

Ann’s dancing produced some unforgettable television.

Her Charleston became one of the most talked-about performances of the series.

The judges were brutally honest.

Her score was only 17 out of 40, the lowest of the night.

But Ann responded in typically fearless fashion.

When Craig Revel Horwood criticized the amount of time she spent sitting down during the routine, she fired back with her own joke.

That exchange captured exactly why viewers were becoming attached to her.

She was never pretending to be something she wasn’t.

She simply wanted to have fun.

The pair also performed an American Smooth, a Paso Doble, a Samba and a Rumba during their time on the show.

One of their most memorable appearances came at Blackpool Tower, where Ann famously descended from above the dance floor during a routine.

The performance was spectacularly unconventional — and exactly the sort of television that audiences came to expect from “Widdy.”

SHE KEPT COMING BACK

Ann’s Strictly story did not end with her original series.

She returned to the dance floor for a Children in Need special in 2012.

Then, in 2018, she reunited with Anton for the show’s Christmas special.

The reunion was particularly funny because Ann admitted that she had not been dancing since their previous appearance.

Once again, the pair embraced the comedy rather than taking themselves too seriously.

It was classic Ann.

She had discovered something during her first appearance on Strictly: sometimes the most memorable moments are not about being perfect.

They’re about being willing to try.

FROM POLITICS TO TELEVISION

Before becoming a television personality, Ann had spent much of her adult life in politics.

She entered Parliament in 1987 and remained an MP until 2010.

She served in government under Prime Minister John Major and later became a prominent Eurosceptic.

After leaving Parliament, however, she developed a second career in television.

Strictly Come Dancing played a major role in that transformation.

She later appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, where she became a runner-up in 2018.

Her television appearances showed another side of a woman who had often been viewed primarily through the lens of politics.

On television, audiences saw her sense of humor, her willingness to make fun of herself and her determination to accept challenges.

HER DEATH BROUGHT ANOTHER SHOCK

Ann died in July 2026 after police were called to her home in Haytor, Dartmoor.

Devon and Cornwall Police said she had sustained serious injuries and launched a murder investigation.

A 26-year-old man was initially arrested but was later released and was no longer considered part of the investigation at that stage.

Police said the incident was not being treated as terrorism and appealed for information as the investigation continued.

The circumstances of her death made the tributes even more painful for those who knew her.

Among them was Anton.

For viewers who remembered the pair being pulled, spun and occasionally rescued across the Strictly dance floor, the news was difficult to process.

“SHE WAS A REAL FRIEND”

Anton Du Beke was among those who paid tribute to Ann after her death.

Their relationship had begun as a television partnership but had developed into something much more personal.

Anton remembered their time together warmly, while other Strictly figures also spoke about the impression she had left on the show.

Craig Revel Horwood, one of the judges who frequently delivered tough scores and sharp comments to Ann, also expressed his sadness following her death.

It was a striking reminder that behind the jokes, costumes and memorable routines was a woman who had built genuine relationships with the people around her.

WHY HER STRICTLY MOMENTS STILL MATTER

Ann Widdecombe did not need to win Strictly Come Dancing to leave a lasting impression.

In fact, her story was almost the opposite.

She showed that entertainment does not always come from technical perfection.

Sometimes it comes from courage.

From saying yes when you could easily say no.

From being willing to look ridiculous in front of millions of people.

And from refusing to take yourself too seriously.

That is why her old performances continue to resonate.

The awkward Charleston.

The dramatic costumes.

The unforgettable routines with Anton.

The jokes with the judges.

The moments when Anton appeared to be doing considerably more work than his partner.

They all became part of the Strictly story.

A LEGACY FAR BEYOND THE DANCE FLOOR

Ann Widdecombe’s life was complicated and her political career was often controversial.

But her Strictly legacy offered the public something very different.

It showed a woman willing to step outside the world she had known for decades and try something completely new.

She did not become a great dancer.

She became something arguably more memorable:

a great Strictly character.

And now, whenever those old performances return to television or social media, they carry an added layer of emotion.

The laughter remains.

The costumes remain.

The friendship with Anton remains.

And so does the woman at the center of it all.

Ann Widdecombe may no longer be here to step onto the ballroom floor again.

But her most unforgettable Strictly moments have ensured that, for many viewers, she will always be dancing somewhere in their memories.