Annabel Croft mixes things up this week by showing off her sexy side for her samba on Strictly Come Dancing.
The 57-year-old former tennis pro moved the nation to tears on Saturday evening after her emotional “Pair’s Choice” performance alongside her partner Johannes Radebe in honor of her late husband Mel Coleman.
Her beloved other half died in May, just weeks after she was diagnosed with stage three cancer, and Annabel looked up to heaven and blew her a kiss at the end of the performance.
But this week the 57-year-old gets into the party spirit as she performs a samba to Shakira’s hit “Whenever Wherever.”
Speaking to The Sun, she admitted: “John is trying to bring out that sexy side.” The plan is to channel my inner Shakira, but it will be quite difficult to keep up with her.
Party time! Annabel Croft, 57, shows off her sexy side before her Shakira-inspired samba after revealing Strictly was a “distraction” following the death of her husband Mel earlier this week
Emotional: The former tennis pro reduced the nation to tears on Saturday evening after her emotional “Pair’s Choice” performance alongside her partner Johannes Radebe in honor of her late husband Mel Coleman
“To be honest it’s a little out of my comfort zone, I sweat a lot more than I expected!”
But Johannes is determined to bring out the inner Shakira in his partner.
“I think everyone has a Shakira in them.” “Unfortunately we can’t drink a few proseccos before dancing, but I’ve always believed that anyone, if they feel good, can really win gold,” he said.
The professional dancer also noted how hard Annabel trains, as he confessed he had never trained for so many hours in his Strictly career.
They usually start at 10 a.m. and don’t finish until 6 p.m., and recently they trained for ten hours.
And at 57, Annabel feels fitter than ever.
The athlete runs four times a week and plays tennis a few times a week, but dancing makes her feel fit on a whole new level.
“I had no idea how good dancing was for the soul and body.” “I’m 57 and my body has never felt as fit and supple as it does now.”
Emotional: Annabel also praised her dance partner Johannes Radebe for “giving her a purpose to get up in the morning” – he also took part in the discussion alongside Annabel
Late: Annabel’s late husband Mel and father of her three children Charlie, Amber and Lilly died earlier this year aged 60, just weeks after being diagnosed with stage three cancer
Whenever: “Johannes is trying to bring out that sexy side.” “The plan is for me to channel my inner Shakira, but it will be quite difficult to keep up with her,” revealed Annabel (Shakira performs in Berlin in 2014 ).
Appearance: “It gave me a reason to get up in the morning and pursue a goal rather than just sobbing at home, which still happens sometimes,” she said on Loose Women on Thursday
Long-term love: The couple’s picture together in 1996 – their paths crossed completely by chance when Annabel was at a crisis point in her life
Appearing on Loose Women on Thursday, Annabel revealed how Strictly has “distracted her from the grief” of losing her late husband.
Annabel also praised Johannes for giving her “the purpose to get up in the morning.”
Speaking to host Charlene White, 43, Annabel said: “Of course the grief comes in waves and there are a lot of days where you’re just sobbing at home, but with Strictly and meeting Johannes and going on this journey together, it has Literally distracted me.” all this pain.
“And it’s days, I mean, poor Johannes had to endure a lot in the rehearsal rooms and stuff.”
‘But you [Johannes] “Give me enough meaning to get up in the morning and come dance.”
Although Annabel mentioned the show, she spoke about how “bittersweet” it was to be there as Mel used to love watching the show, especially Johannes.
She recalled: “I have such fond memories of Mel in our kitchen calling us all in to watch Johannes because he thought he was brilliant and he stopped and watched Strictly again.”
“It’s bittersweet because I really wanted them to meet and it breaks my heart. Mel is not here to see this trip.”