Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative MP and Reform UK spokesperson who died aged 78, left an indelible mark on British television with a series of memorable reality TV appearances after leaving politics in 2002.
Celebrity Fit Club
Before the popular series My 600-lb Life, there was Celebrity Fit Club, and Ann Widdecombe was among its contestants. The show tasked famous faces with a Body Mass Index outside the healthy range to lose weight through physical challenges, monitored by a nutritionist and psychologist. Under the boot camp regime of fitness coach Harvey Walden IV, Ann lost 2.5 stone (35 lbs) and returned three years later as a judge.
Speaking about her credentials in 2013, she said: "My credentials for Celebrity Fit Club are not because I look like Twiggy, because I most emphatically do not, but because I've managed to keep two stones of the 36lbs I lost. I'm not a diet or fitness guru." She added that she dismissed the nutritionist's advice to eat two walnuts between meals, stating: "I said to him: 'Look, even if I did that, which is extremely doubtful for the duration of the programme, I wouldn't be doing it after that.'"
Strictly Come Dancing
In 2010, Ann partnered with professional dancer Anton Du Beke on Strictly Come Dancing. Despite consistently low marks from judges, she won viewer support and lasted nine weeks before elimination, performing comedic routines that became iconic. One memorable moment featured Anton dragging Ann across the dance floor during the Charleston.
Ann revealed she "insisted on" knee-length leggings matching her brightly coloured outfits to avoid wardrobe malfunctions. Writing in Best magazine, she said: "I was the dresser's nightmare on Strictly. I insisted on knee-length matching leggings underneath my dresses so that Anton could throw me about without either of us fearing a wardrobe malfunction." In August 2024, Anton recalled on BBC Breakfast: "We had the most brilliant time, and I can say that about all of my partners."
Celebrity Big Brother
Ann entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2018 at age 70, finishing as runner-up with nearly 40 per cent of the vote, despite never having watched the show. Her stint was marked by controversy, clashing with eventual winner Courtney Act over her anti-LGBT voting history and with India Willoughby on gay marriage. She also sparked outrage by suggesting Harvey Weinstein's survivors "had a choice" in their treatment.
Upon leaving, she told The Sun: "I'd laid down several things. First of all I wasn't going to share a bed – I mean forget it, absolutely not. Secondly, modesty. I said modesty is important to me, and I'm not going to be in a situation where there's any immodesty. I wouldn't have done it without those guarantees."
The Ann Widdecombe Project
In a surprising turn, Ann became an agony aunt on BBC2's The Ann Widdecombe Project, advising families on crises, love triangles, and workplace spats. Despite never marrying or having children, she offered her perspective. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, she said: "I don't tell people how to solve their problems. I wouldn't presume to do that, but I tell them what I would do if I were in their situation." When asked what qualified her, she replied: "Nothing. That's why I don't tell them what to do. I simply say, 'Look, if I were in this situation this is what I would do'."
