Du Beke: 'Working with Ann was a joy'

Anton du Beke has claimed that it was a pleasure to work with Anne Widdecombe on last year's Strictly Come Dancing.

The dancer suggested to The Daily Telegraph that the ex-politician was more carefree since she retired from parliament.

Du Beke said: "Working with Ann was a joy. Now that she is no longer an MP, and the decisions she makes don't affect anybody other than herself, she seems to want to have a bit of fun.

"I was chuckling to myself when I suggested in rehearsal that she should swing down to the stage on two cables, and I'd run on in a cloud of smoke and drag her across the floor. But she just said, 'That sounds quite good, let's try it'."

Last year, it was claimed that Du Beke had been punished for his allegedly racist remarks towards Laila Rouass in 2009 by being paired with Widdecombe.

> Du Beke: 'Strictly success was a surprise'