Strictly Come Dancing star Angela Rippon has revealed she is "unsettled" by changes made to the show this year, including a new presenting team and a revamped professional line-up.
The British TV legend, who became the BBC show's oldest contestant when she joined the 2023 series, shared her thoughts on the new format during an appearance on Vanessa Feltz's At Home with Vanessa podcast. Rippon and her professional partner Kai Widdrington were the eighth couple eliminated from that series.
New presenters and dancers
This year's Strictly has seen Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman replaced by Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe. There are also five new dancers, while the standard of celebrities chosen for the series has drawn criticism.
Rippon said: "My own feeling is you have to give it a chance. My own feeling is I am unsettled by what they've done. Because, as a presenter, I feel that the role that Emma is taking on is a one person job."
Praise for Johannes Radebe
She praised Radebe, saying: "As for JoJo (Johannes Radebe), I just adore him, he's another great mate. He's such a stunning dancer. He's going to be up taking over from Claudia. It is all smoke and mirrors even when it's all live."
Rippon suggested Radebe should have remained in the group dances: "What I would have suggested was that JoJo should still be in the group dances because he is brilliant, as well as being in the Clauditorium stuff. Because you could have pulled that off, because we know they're pre-recorded."
Professional exits and past controversy
Long-time professionals Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez are among those who have left the show, along with Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas.
Rippon competed in 2023, when the Glitterball was won by Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach. That series was also marked by the fallout between actress Amanda Abbington and her professional partner Giovanni Pernice.
Abbington accused the Italian dancer of bullying and harassment, left the show early and lodged a formal complaint with the BBC. Pernice, who later left Strictly, denied the allegations. The BBC upheld six out of 17 complaints relating to verbal bullying and harassment, but claims of physical aggression were not upheld.
Rippon said everyone on the show was "aware of the tension between the two of them". She added: "But it's not my place to really talk about it in public. Amanda was very distressed by it and I think the whole crew were very distressed. That was a big one off."
She noted: "There had been other occasions when some of the professional dancers did not treat their partners particularly well, but that's for them (the production company) to handle. I was so lucky in having Kai as a partner and friend and that's what 90% of people who take part get. It's a cauldron of tension, of passion, of all sorts of things."
