Ruth Langsford Issues Public Apology to Anton Du Beke After Candid Strictly Admission
This Morning presenter Ruth Langsford has formally apologised to her former Strictly Come Dancing partner Anton Du Beke following a brutally honest revelation in her new memoir. The 65-year-old television personality made the admission in her book 'Feeling Fabulous', which details her experience on the fifteenth series of the BBC dancing competition in 2017.
The Controversial Confession About Partner Selection
In her book, Langsford recounts conversations with Strictly producers where she was asked which professional dancer she would choose if she could 'wave a magic wand'. Her immediate response was Anton Du Beke, but her reasoning has now sparked controversy and necessitated an apology.
"Apart from already knowing him a little and seeing how encouraging and kind he was to his celebrity partners, I didn't want someone young and hot," Langsford wrote. "Sorry, Anton, if you are reading this, because you are totally divine, but the fact I was heading towards 60 and I would not have felt comfortable grinding up against a 25-year-old – which my teenage son would have to watch. Probably through his fingers."
The Joyful Partnership That Followed
Despite this unconventional reasoning for wanting Du Beke as her partner, Langsford describes overwhelming joy when she discovered they would indeed be paired together. Her reaction was so enthusiastic it became a memorable moment for both participants.
"My calm walk towards him suddenly turned into an ungainly run, like a cart-horse, and I launched myself at him," she recalled. "Except I didn't leap high enough so instead of hooking my legs around his waist, I ended up with them around his thighs, and he was hanging onto me for dear life. I think this took me more by surprise than it did him."
The Story That Became Part of Strictly Lore
This humorous introduction has since become part of Strictly Come Dancing folklore, with Du Beke himself frequently recounting the tale during his theatre performances. Langsford notes that the professional dancer often adds his own embellishments when telling the story.
"Of course, when Anton recounts the story, he adds all sorts of embellishments including a part where he staggers backwards as I cling to him," she explained. "He sometimes tells it at his theatre shows and once, when I was in the audience, he got me up on stage to replay it. He makes me howl with laughter."
Context of Du Beke's Own Personal Journey
Langsford's revelation about her Strictly partner selection comes as Du Beke himself has been discussing personal transformations in recent interviews. The professional dancer, who changed his name from Tony Beck earlier in his career, recently explained his motivations to BBC Radio 4.
"I wanted to start again in my life, and so I started with me," Du Beke stated. "One thing doesn't drive the other thing. For me, it was all about being successful in what I was doing. I decided I wanted to do this, and so that's what I did, and everything I did was geared towards being good at this."
The apology from Langsford highlights the complex dynamics of celebrity partnerships on popular television shows, where personal comfort and professional considerations sometimes intersect in unexpected ways.
