Angela Rippon reveals why she is so busy at 79: 'I don't have a permanent man!'
Angela Rippon can continue to be so busy in her television career because she "doesn't have a permanent man" in her life.
The 79-year-old broadcaster - who last year became the oldest-ever contestant on 'Strictly Come Dancing' - was initially married to Christopher Dare but they divorced in 1989 and she is currently single, a factor which she thinks enables her to commit to work on a more full-time basis than her 'Rip Off Britain' colleagues.
She told Woman's Weekly magazine: "I just love my job, and unlike Glo [Gloria Hunniford, 83] and Jules [Julia Somerville,76], I don't have a permanent man in my life. They have children,
grandchildren, husbands or partners.
"Although I was married for nearly 30 years and I've had partners since, I'm a single woman and don't have the same responsibilities to another person or people in my life that they do."
Despite her star turn on 'Strictly Come Dancing' - which saw her reach week nine of the competition alongside professional partner Kai Widdrington - Angela has categorically ruled out an appearance on 'I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!', reasoning that there would never be enough money for her to agree to a stint in the Australian jungle and that she only took part in 'Strictly' because she already had a love of dancing.
She said: "Absolutely not. They couldn't print enough money to get me to do that! 'That does not appeal to me at all. 'Strictly' did because I've been around dancers most of my life, one way or another, and I enjoy dancing, so that was in a class of its own."
Meanwhile, Angela will celebrate her milestone 80th birthday in October and joked that she had considered going to party in Las Vegas but is now rethinking her idea.
She said: "Coming up to 80, I did have a thought that I might go to Las Vegas and spend three days on the strip and do something daft [but] I'm sort of rethinking. I shall do something, but I don't know what!'"