Annabel Croft says Strictly has left her fitter than ever at 57 and reveals singer she’s channelling for steamy samba
SHE has had the nation in tears after signing up for Strictly in honour of her late husband, but now Annabel Croft is determined to have some fun – and sex things up a little.
The love of her life, Mel Coleman died of cancer in May aged 60, and last week she performed a routine dedicated to his memory which left judges Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse wiping their eyes.
But as the ex tennis pro prepares to deliver a steamy samba on the BBC1 dance show tonight, she insists she is going to make “a massive gear change” as she performs to the music of singer Shakira.
Mother-of-three Annabel, 57, said of he most recent performance: “That dance was cathartic for me, but it’s also still very raw.
“It was obviously quite emotional, and still is very emotional for me to think about that. But equally it feels like it was a very, very special moment that I’m going to cherish for the rest of my life.
“I was quite shocked to go from this ethereal, floaty number to an inner Shakira, raunchy style! I’m going to attempt to bring Shakira this weekend, I’ll give it a go!”
Annabel and dance partner Johannes Radebe, 36, have just put the finishing touches on the routine which they will deliver to the sound of the Colombian diva singing Whenever Wherever.
Annabel said: “At the moment I’m working on techniques, but I think I might need to work on character a bit more.
“Johannes is trying to bring that sexy side out.
“The plan is I channel my inner Shakira, but it’s going to be quite hard to match her.
“It’s just fun, that’s the most important thing.
“It’s a party dance, and I’ve got to keep that in the back of my head when I’m doing it.”
For Johannes, unleashing her sexy side is a challenge he is relishing after doing it before while being partnered with Corrie actress Catherine Tyldesley and comedian Ellie Taylor.
Asked if he is confident he can achieve it, he answered with a laugh: “Darling, have you met me?
“We have to tap into this, it’s there inside of her.
“I think everybody has a Shakira in them.
“Unfortunately we can’t have a few Proseccos before we dance, but I always believed that everybody, when they’re feeling comfortable, they can really, really go for gold.
“It’s a perfect time, like Annabel said, to really celebrate because it is a party dance and we haven’t had one of those.
“So it will be nice to just have fun with it, and yes, bring Shakira to the floor because I don’t think anybody will be expecting that.”
Annabel added: “It’s a bit out of my comfort zone to be honest, I’m sweating a lot more than I expected!
“I need to park the moment that we’ve just had, and as I said, sort of cherish that for ever, and then kind of compartmentalise that.
“And now take a right turn into something that is fun and vivacious and lively.
“The whole thing about all the dances that we’ve done, it’s been amazing.
“This weekend is just another chance to try something completely different.
“I suppose I never even envisaged I could do a samba.
“I don’t know if I even can, but we’re going to work on it, we’ll just throw ourselves at it, and I’ve got the best teacher in the world.”
The chemistry between the pair is undeniable and Annabel has spoken of her heartbreak that husband Mel never got to meet Johannes, as he was his number one fan.
Describing him as her “angel”, Johannes has supported her every step of the way and that has helped earn them an army of fans who are hell bent on getting them to the final.
But the fact they are being talked about as the dark horse in the competition among fans comes as some what of a shock to Annabel.
She said: “Honestly, every week is a bonus.
“I didn’t think I’d get past week one!
“It’s like being in a tennis tournament.
“You never look at a draw and go, ’Oh yeah, I’m going to be in the semis or quarters or final, whatever’.
“You just play the point that’s in front of you for that moment in time.
“And that’s what we’re focusing on at the moment. That’s the only thing we can do.
“We always set out from the beginning just to do what we can do and control what we can, which is the dance, and enjoy it.”
She might not be thinking about the final, but there is one Strictly milestone Annabel has set her heart on, reaching the big night from Blackpool.
She added: “When I took Johannes to centre court at Wimbledon, it was like, ‘wow, this is the cathedral of all tennis courts’, it’s a really special place.
“It’s where all the history is.
“You can almost hear the commentary and the balls being struck.
“But I’ve heard so much about Blackpool being the mecca for dance.
“So to be able to go there would be an absolute dream, it would be amazing.”
If anyone has a fighting chance it’s these two.
She said: “It’s definitely helped me with discipline and application, and you just want to practice as long as it takes until you feel that you might have got the steps in your head.
“But I feel like, for somebody who hasn’t done any of this stuff ever before, apart from a few ballet classes when I was very, very young, it’s all new territory to me.
“I’ve never done all these steps.
“So when Johannes talks to me and gives names to steps, I have to kind of go, ’What is that? What does that mean? How do I do that?’
“Then even if he shows it to me . . . Well, we joke about it.
“If he has to show it to me 700 times, then I’m going, ‘Well actually can you show it 701 times?’ Because I still don’t know what that is.
“And even if it goes in one day, then I wake up tomorrow and it might have disappeared again.
“But that’s what I’ve found really fascinating, the learning process.
“It’s taken me back to my childhood of learning tennis, learning strokes and trying to apply yourself.
“So there’s definitely elements of learning something athletically that would be similar to learning this creatively in dance.”
But for Johannes it’s been game, set and match when it comes to her dedication to dance.
He said: “She is relentless and I absolutely love it.
“I said to her, that’s the secret to it, repetition, repetition and then it marries with your body to create something beautiful.
“She works really hard.
“I’ve never worked this many hours ever since I’ve been on Strictly.
“Darling, yesterday we did 10am until 6pm, and then the other day we went for ten hours.
“Annabel has really taken me by surprise and I’m grateful, honestly, I am, for the fact that she’s got that enduring spirit.”
All that training has certainly had a huge impact on her body.
Annabel added: “I had no idea how good dancing was for the soul and the body.
“I’m 57 and my body has never felt fitter or more supple than it does now.
“I run four times a week and play tennis a couple of times a week or whatever, but I’ve never ever felt this supple or this energised.
“So that tells me that dancing has to be good for you.”
She is the second oldest contestant on the series behind fellow broadcaster, Angela Rippon, who recently celebrated her 79th birthday.
And like the rest of the nation, Annabel says she has been inspired by Angela’s agility and grace on the dance floor.
She said: “There’s no question that she has inspired me, and a lot of people, at her age to be doing what she’s doing.
“I’m the second oldest in the competition, so if we can fly the flag for the 50-plus group, then great.
“We’ve had chats behind the scenes.
“You swap notes on how your rehearsal’s going and how you are getting on with that particular dance.
“We all know what each other is going through and that’s quite helpful.”
Now Annabel is hoping she can inspire women watching at home who, like her, might be grieving the loss of a loved one.
She explained: “If what we did can inspire people to take up dance through the grief that they’re going through, then I think that’s a really wonderful thing.
“And it certainly makes me want to continue dancing.
“I know that the show’s tagline is keep dancing, but I really understand it so much more now.
“It means so much more to me now hearing those words and it’s like, ‘yeah, I really want to keep dancing!”
- Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight on BBC1 at 6.05pm.