Angela Rippon views being 'Strictly Come Dancing's oldest-ever contestant as a "badge of honour".
Angela Rippon is Strictly's oldest-ever contestant
The veteran broadcaster turns 79 next month and she hopes her taking part in the BBC Latin and ballroom show will inspire other older people to take up dancing because she's previously worked on a project that showed dancing was good for both the body and the mind in later life.
She told reporters: "I suppose in a way I'm kind of wearing it like a badge of honour, because you can't get away from it.
"I've spent a long time now since since I made the film with Dr Chris van Tulleken, 'How to Stay Young', where we did proper scientific research with a group in Germany on what was the best kind of exercise to do as you get older.
"And the university pitted dancers who were 60-plus up to 80 against people in the gym, and the dancers came out overall as the fittest, and we decided that actually dance is the best overall mind and body exercise - and I've been pushing that since.
"I'm the ambassador for Silver Swans for the Royal Ballet, which is to get people - men and women - 50-plus to go to a ballet class for the strength, flexibility and all of that.
"I think if we can get the message across, that it is a great way of keeping fit even during your 20s and 30s, and think ahead to when you're going to be old.
"And the number of people that are dancing in their 60s and 70s or 80s and 90s, it's fantastic and it's good for the brain as well."
The former 'Come Dancing' presenter hopes her years being "around" dancers will help her understand the technical elements she needs to accomplish - but she's also had doubts around her decision to compete against much-younger stars such as Bobby Brazier and Zara McDermott.
She said: "I mean, I presented 'Come Dancing', I didn't dance.
"But I've been very fortunate that I've been around dancers for a very long time doing Come Dancing, and I was on the board of English National Ballet for 10 years, and I was the chairman for four years.
"I've been around dancers and now I'm an ambassador for Silver Swans. So I think I'm quite good at looking, so I know what's required. And I did go to ballet class until I was about 17, so my brain says, 'Yeah I know how to do that.'
"My brain [also] says, 'What the hell are you doing?'"
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