Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative MP and MEP who later became a household name as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, has died aged 78, her representative has announced.
Political Career
Widdecombe served as the Conservative MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years, from 1987 until 2010. She also held the position of prisons minister under Prime Minister John Major between 1995 and 1997. In 2019, she left the Conservatives to join the Brexit Party, and in 2023 she became a supporter of Reform UK.
Strictly Come Dancing and Media Stardom
Widdecombe is widely remembered for her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, where she was paired with professional dancer Anton Du Beke. Despite frequently receiving low scores from the judges, her comedic routines endeared her to the public, who voted to keep her in the competition. She eventually finished in 6th place. In 2018, she was also the runner-up of Celebrity Big Brother.
Tribute from Management
In a statement, Ann Widdecombe’s management team, Cloud9 Management, said the former MP "loved the cut and thrust of political debate" and was a "consummate professional". The statement read: “It is with great shock and sadness that today we announced the passing of the Rt Hon Ann Widdecombe DSG, aged 78. Cloud9 Management represented Ann for over a decade and we will miss her greatly. Her life and career were driven by her strong Christian values and commitment to public service. She loved the cut and thrust of political debate and, 16 years after leaving Parliament, was still actively campaigning for Reform UK and offering forthright views on the hot topics of the day across numerous radio and television programmes. Ann was a valued patron of many causes, particularly her animal charities.”
Other Ventures
Her management also highlighted her diverse career beyond politics and reality TV: “This philosophy led her to appearing in Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment at London’s Royal Opera House and pantomime alongside Craig Revel Horwood and Basil Brush. Never afraid to send herself up, Ann loved her musical tribute by Victoria Wood and was always game for a laugh, happy to play up to her public persona as a grumpy old woman or the panto villain. For many, of course, she will be best (or worst?) remembered for her unforgettable appearances on Strictly Come Dancing, defying the judges week-after-week as the public delighted in her unsuccessful attempts to follow the choreography of the long-suffering Anton Du Beke. This led to a second career as a media personality, fronting multiple documentaries and appearing on such shows as Have I Got News For You, Celebrity Big Brother, The Chase and hosting her own quiz show on Sky Atlantic, Cleverdicks.”
Legacy
Cloud9 Management concluded: “A consummate professional and a delight to work with, indefatigable to the last, we know this news will come as a great shock to the many colleagues and friends she made along the way and our sympathies go to them and her family.”
