At 79, Angela was a triumph

IT WAS sad to see Angela Rippon exit Strictly, but the narrative that her time was up has been building for weeks. It’s been a triumph for an older woman to make it as far as the Blackpool show — they’re usually voted out much earlier. But she had no chance against snakehipped Bobby Brazier, a favourite with judges and viewers, who no one — especially him! — had expected to be in Sunday’s dance-off. Angela, who was as gracious as ever as she bowed out, has been an inspiration and shown us that age — she’s 79 — really is just a number.