Annabel Croft sobbed before her debut on 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
Annabel Croft cried before her 'Strictly Come Dancing' debut
The 57-year-old former tennis player is competing in the new series of the hit BBC show but was left overcome with emotion ahead of her first performance following the death of her husband Mel Coleman from stomach cancer in May.
Annabel, who is partnered with professional Johannes Radebe, told MailOnline: "I just sat and cried. Mel was my biggest supporter, my protector. He gave me confidence. He made things right, always had done. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to say: 'I am really nervous for tomorrow, but I don't have you to make it OK'."
The star added: "I was about to go in front of millions of people and be jolly and happy but I was sobbing, thinking: 'I don't know where you are, Mel. Where have you gone?'"
Annabel also discussed the period leading up to her husband's death and recalled a "cruel" nurse who seemed to "take pleasure in telling Mel he was dying".
The TV and radio pundit recalled: "This nurse said: 'Listen to me. He's got cancer. We are not resuscitating him.' Like she was enjoying it. I'm haunted by that. So many nights it has kept me awake, remembering the tone of her voice. It was cruel."
Annabel explained that she never got the chance to say goodbye to Mel as his passing happened so rapidly.
She said: "It happened so quickly. He was drifting in and out of consciousness.
"And then we . . . watched him die. He took his last breath."
She recently explained how she has been grateful for the distraction that 'Strictly' has provided her with as she copes without Mel.
Annabel told the ITV show 'Lorraine': "It’s been nice to do something joyful and use my body and try to rest my brain from thinking too many dark thoughts."