Strictly's Angela Rippon's health secrets for the competition

Strictly’s Angela Rippon, 78, reveals the health and beauty secrets that keep her flexible and looking fresh for the ballroom competition

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She put on a very flexible display during Saturday’s live episode of Strictly Come Dancing as her dance partner Kai Widdrington lifted her leg right above her head.

And Angela Rippon has now revealed her health secrets that keep her in top shape at the age of 78.

She said: ‘I look at the younger people and I know I’m not as fit or strong, that’s just a medical fact.

‘But I play tennis, I go to Pilates and ballet classes, so I’m pretty fit for someone of my age.

‘I’ve told my pro partner, Kai Widdrington, there are things I can do and things I can’t. I just want to do everything properly. I’ve told him, “Challenge me”.’

Born to perform: Angela Rippon has revealed her health secrets that keep her in top shape at the age of 78 for Strictly Come Dancing

According to The Sun, broadcaster Angela also insists people should ‘eat purple’, adding that she relies on ‘red cabbage to aubergines, blackcurrants and blueberries’ as the foods that ‘can help prevent clogged arteries’.

The star is also a big fan of cooking from scratch, adding that people should ‘avoid tinned or packet foods and use organic and local produce’.

On the supplements she takes, she continued: ‘I take bacteria-balancing acidophilus after food poisoning, cod liver oil capsules for the joints and ginseng for general vitality.’

Meanwhile, Angela also spoke out on keeping her skin fresh, instructing: ‘Scrub your face: Avoid tea and coffee and drink water to keep skin hydrated. Cleanse and exfoliate regularly,’ before concluding: ‘Forget age, it’s just a number. Forget your age and do something to distract yourself… such as dancing.’

It comes after Angela showcased her incredible flexibility as she stretched her leg over her head during her first performance on Saturday.

Angela, who has made history as the show’s oldest ever contestant, took to the floor with pro partner Kai, 28, for a very energetic Cha Cha.

She looked sensational in silver fringe mini dress as she performed to Shirley Bassey’s cover of Pink’s Get The Party Started before kicking her partner lifted her leg for the dramatic finale.

The duo impressed the judges who scored 28 for their performance, which saw them briefly at the top of the leader board.

Health priority: Angela prioritises certain types of foods and also insists cooking from scratch is best

Taking to Twitter one fan wrote: ‘I need some tips off Angela Rippon. I’d love to dance like she does and I’m literally half her age!’

While a second wrote: ‘Angela Rippon’s leg though!’

Someone else joked: ‘When I grow up I want to be Angela Rippon.’

And: ‘I want Angela Rippon’s legs!’

It comes after Angela admitted she is finding Strictly training ‘very gruelling’ and her legs ‘feel like they’re going to collapse’.

Speaking in a new interview, Angela shed some light on how her training with professional partner Kai is going.

She told The Mirror: ‘My legs feel like they’re about to collapse.

‘I know what I should be doing, I know how it should be feeling, it’s actually making my legs do it to the music. I’m just getting cross and frustrated.’

Skills: Strictly’s Angela Rippon showcased her incredible flexibility as she stretched her leg over head head during her first performance on Saturday

Angela continued: ‘I’m exhausted. There are bits of me aching that I didn’t know I had. I’m enjoying doing it and I’m fine with the bits that I get right. But I get very angry with myself when I absolutely muck it up and do it wrong.’

She recently revealed the secret to her famously flexible physique as she prepared to become Strictly Come Dancing’s oldest ever contestant.

Speaking to MailOnline, Angela admitted she was ‘nervous and apprehensive’ about taking part in Strictly, with viewers set to find out her professional partner during the launch show.

The presenter added that she’s due to the physical demands of her work she’s ‘kept fit all her life.’

Sensational: Angela looked sensational in silver fringe mini dress as she performed to Shirley Bassey ‘s cover of Pink’s Get The Party Started before kicking her partner lifted her leg for the dramatic finale

Great stuff: With the duo impressing the duos scoring 28 for their perfomance which saw them briefly at the top of the leader board

Loving it: Delighted fans raced to social media following the performance

Angela told MailOnline: ‘I’ve kept fit all my life, for the job that I do. You have to keep fit to do what we do because you never know what you’ll be asked to do next. A lot of things that I’ve done in television have been more physical.

‘You know, maybe you thought twice about diving with great white sharks or swimming with killer whales, so you never know what you’re gonna be asked to do.

‘I’ve done programmes where I’ve been on my feet for 12 hours. And you can’t do that unless you’re fit. I just kept fit and strong I suppose.’

Angela’s Strictly stint will come 47 years after she stunned the 27 million viewers of Morecambe and Wise’s 1976 Christmas special by emerging from her newsreader’s desk to perform a high-kicking dance routine, in an era when journalists never ventured into light entertainment.