ANGELA Rippon has revealed her Strictly partner Kai Widdrington banned camera crew from one element of rehearsals amid the show’s scandal.
The under-fire BBC dance series returned last week amid the probe into Giovanni Pernice’s conduct on set.
Beeb execs launched the investigation following a complaint from actress Amanda Abbington who was paired with the Italian dancer.
Included in Strictly’s new duty of care protocols is chaperones now accompanying the celebrities to rehearsals.
But Angela Rippon – who appeared on last year’s series – has revealed her pro partner Kai Widdrington was against filming one particular element of their practices.
The 79-year-old said Kai wanted the ending to their routines to be kept a surprise, so ordered the camera crew to leave.
She told The Express: “It wasn’t the couple’s choice, it was Kai’s choice.”
Angela’s impressive high kick which stunned viewers at home was one surprise Kai wanted kept for the live show.
She continued: “So I did it again and as I kick he caught my foot and he just kept pushing it and it got level to my nose, and he said ‘that’ll do’.
“You have camera crews in filming it. So when we were rehearsing, you would get to that part of the dance at the end and he wouldn’t do it. He never, ever wanted it filmed.”
Angela added: “We did the whole dance and everybody saw me do it for the first time. The reaction from the audience was extraordinary.”
Meanwhile, The Sun first revealed how Kai, 29, was left without a celeb partner for this year’s Strictly.
Kai has since broken his silence, telling the Daily Star: “Everyone wants to get a celebrity.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t my time this series. Two boys couldn’t have one this series and sadly I am one of them.
“Some of us don’t get partners and that’s the way it is.”
Strictly 2024 pairings
Here’s who is matched with who this series…
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
JB Gill and Amy Dowden MBE
Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał
Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez
Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Sam Quek MBE and Nikita Kuzmin
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
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Source: USA Today
