ANNABEL CROFT is out to prove leggy Angela Rippon isn’t Strictly’s only limber and lithe over-50 – when she performs a BACKFLIP in Saturday’s semi-final.
The tennis ace, 57, is leaving nothing in the locker as she vies for a place in the BBC dance contest finale with a sizzling salsa packed with punchy moves.
It’s the same attitude that has taken her from rank outsider to second favourite to win the Glitterball trophy.
Plucky Annabel told The Sun: “The backflip is not something I’ve done since I was about ten.
“And I just never thought I could do something like this, but I was willing to give it a go.
“After my cartwheel in the jive, we just thought, ‘Game on’! At 57, I can’t believe I’m doing these things, but I’m pretending I’m 27.”
The ex-British No1 tennis star has out-danced a fierce field, including younger ladies such as TV presenter Angela Scanlon, 39, and media personality Zara McDermott, 26.
But agile Angela Rippon — the show’s oldest contestant ever at 79 — was the one to stun viewers and judges at the start of the series when she performed a stunning standing split. She was eliminated last month.
Now Annabel is keen to stress that she has plenty left in the tank as the contest waltzes towards its climax.
She added: “My body has never felt better! I’m 57 and I have never felt more supple or energised.
“As soon as I start dancing, I get energy back in my body. It’s really weird. I feel more supple, more agile.
“Our salsa is really fun, it’s lively and frantic and fast.”
Annabel’s pro dance partner Johannes Radebe, 36, has declared her resilience “mind blowing”.
He said: “I’m reminded that Annabel is my mum’s generation and this week has been quite inspiring watching her tackling it. With our salsa, she’s downplaying it — but honestly she does a backflip into my arms. For me, it blows my mind.”
After scoring 33 out of 40 last week for their Wicked-themed foxtrot, bookmakers have given Annabel and Johannes odds of 9/2 to win.
That’s second only to Corrie actress Ellie Leach, 22, and ahead of Bad Education star Layton Williams, 29, and EastEnders’ Bobby Brazier, 20.
In Saturday’s semi-final, Annabel will perform a salsa to You’ll Be Mine (Party Time) by Gloria Estefan and a Viennese waltz to Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want by Slow Moving Millie.
Annabel said: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It’s been so many weeks — 11, 12 weeks — and each week you have the same kind of attitude. I know it sounds a cliché, but I never ever thought I would be in this position.
“We are trying not to think about it too much and just keep doing what we’ve been doing, keep the same routine and really focusing on the next dance, each step in front of you.
“At least now I recognise some of the steps in our waltz, so that wasn’t so time-consuming to put that dance together. That helped.
“Salsa I hadn’t done before, so that took the same amount of steps as it would normally take. It’s quite a lot to think about — two in one week is a lot, but it’s been fun.”
Johannes also told how they take it a day at a time, adding: “We are not thinking that far ahead. I think that is what has kept us afloat.
“For me, when Annabel started, she said there is no end goal to this, I just want to learn how to dance and how to dance beautifully.
“My heart sang at those words. There is no pressure.
“Whatever happens from now is honestly a bonus. So far, so good.”
For Annabel, her Strictly experience has come to mean far more than just learning how to dance with grace and style. Viewers have watched her battle her grief over losing the love of her life, husband Mel Coleman, to cancer in May, aged 60.
And she now credits the contest for helping her through her darkest hours. She said: “It’s very healing. It has been my saviour in this period of time. I don’t know what I would be doing — I would be sinking or crawling under a rock at home.
“I was thinking about the dark evenings closing in, as they have been during the course of the run.
“I’m not quite sure where I would be mentally if I hadn’t had this to be focusing on and giving me a purpose to get out of bed and come and dance with Johannes.”
Annabel’s journey was placed centre stage last month when she performed an emotional Couple’s Choice dance dedicated to her beloved Mel.
It provoked a huge reaction from viewers and moved judges, including Shirley Ballas, to tears. Annabel said: “We were both overwhelmed by the response to that dance. I never saw that coming. It was so amazing that it touched so many people.”
Dancing in the BBC ballroom has been a tonic for the whole family.
Annabel — mum to Amber, Charlie and Lily, who are in their 20s — said: “They’ve loved every second of it.
“It has been really helpful for the children as well because I forget sometimes I’m wallowing in my own grief. And I remember my children are going through the same thing.
“It’s given them purpose, enjoyment and laughter. They absolutely love Johannes, he’s part of the family.”
So what would it mean to the pair to make the final three of the glitzy dance contest? Annabel said: “When I entered, I thought ‘Ooh, I hope I don’t embarrass not only myself, but my children as well’. But it’s been such fun. Who would not like dressing up in all the sequins and the glitz and glam?
“I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s like being in a tennis tournament.
“You just play the point that’s in front of you. And that’s what we’re focusing on at the moment.”
Annabel has already signed up for the Strictly Come Dancing live tour next year and will continue with her tennis commentary and punditry.
But one thing is for sure, she will remain firm friends with Johannes.
He said: “As much as people thought Annabel needed me in her life — and ‘Oh Johannes has looked after Annabel so well’ — I’m like, ‘You guys have no idea’.
“It’s making me emotional. It has just been a lovely experience because she has really been a friend.
“I am richer having her in my life as a human being.”
