EXCLUSIVE: Loose Women star Ruth Langsford, who competed in Strictly Come Dancing with Anton Du Beke in 2017, has admitted she was “always bursting into tears as the show went on”.
Kathryn Ingate Deputy Editor of Trendswatch
07:00, 04 Oct 2025
Ruth Langsford opened up on her tearful Strictly experience(Image: BBC)
Ruth Langsford has revealed that although her former dance partner Anton Du Beke may seem like “a laugh”, there is a different side to his personality that Strictly Come Dancing viewers might not be aware of.
In an exclusive interview, the former This Morning star admitted that she often felt “really rubbish” behind-the-scenes, as she compared herself to fellow contestants, including Debbie McGee and Gemma Atkinson, who had progressed to the point of being “so good” on the dance floor.
Fortunately, Ruth had the support of Strictly pro-turned-judge Anton, who was a shoulder to cry on when she was struggling, praising their friendship as “the best thing” to come out of her experience on the BBC show.
The Loose Women presenter shared: “I always want people to know that, Anton’s such a laugh – he’s laugh, laugh, laugh – but he’s the kindest man.”
Ruth Langsford and Anton Du Beke on Strictly in 2017(Image: PA)
Ruth continued: “I was always bursting into tears as the show went on, because it gets hard and everyone’s so good, and then I would feel really rubbish because I would think, ‘I can’t do it’. And he’d go, ‘you’re fine’.
“I felt like I was letting him down, but he never criticised me, he was just fun, and in fact, sometimes we’d do a step and he’d say, ‘that’s good’ and I’d go, ‘oh thanks’ and he’d say, ‘it’s not what I taught you, but it’s good!’ And he just made me laugh!”
Ruth went on to reveal that Anton had the perfect method to calm her down when things weren’t going to plan in the training room.
She recalled: “If he ever said, ‘no, no, because we’re supposed to be going right’, and then he’d look at me, and my bottom lip would start to tremble, and I’m about to cry, he’d be like, ‘right, come on, cup of tea!’ Honestly, the nicest man.”
Ruth Langsford and Anton Du Beke are still friends years after they competed on the BBC show(Image: Ruth Langsford Instagram)
Ruth was also full of compliments for Anton’s skills as a member of Strictly’s judging panel, where he has been sitting alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse since 2021.
However, Anton’s promotion means he won’t be able to compete in the ballroom anymore, which Ruth feels is the only downside, as she would love to “have another go” as a contestant with her friend by her side.
She exclaimed: “Let me have another go with Anton! I can’t now, because he’s a judge.
“I’m so thrilled he’s a judge, he’s a very good judge, but I always say to him, ‘I think they should let you have another go, I think I’d be better at it!’”
Ruth narrowly missed out on competing in Blackpool with Anton in 2017, after facing the dreaded dance-off against Jonnie Peacock and Oti Mabuse, while Joe McFadden and Katya Jones eventually went on to lift the Glitterball Trophy.
