Strictly might ‘distract Annabel Croft from immeasurable loss’ says close pal

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 contestant Annabel Croft recently described the ‘terrible, terrible time’ she has been experiencing in the wake of her husband Mel Coleman’s death. The 57-year-old broadcaster recently admitted ‘there’s not been a day I haven’t cried’ months after Mel died at the age of 60, just weeks after being diagnosed with stomach cancer. Her close friend Victoria Hislop, who is a well-known author, explained why she believes joining the BBC One show might prove to be a positive distraction for Annabel. Drawing on her own experience, she explained in an article for the Daily Mail : ‘I can absolutely see why Annabel has signed up to compete in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. ‘Because, while there’s no magic bullet to cure heartache, no secret medicine that erases life’s troubles and restores a lost sense of joie de vivre, Strictly is one thing on the planet that may help distract Annabel from her immeasurable loss.’ Annabel Croft is mourning her late husband Mel Coleman (Image: GETTY) Victoria, who is also married to Private Eye Editor and Have I Got News For You team captain Ian Hislop, went on to discuss her own personal affiliation with Strictly. In 2021, the star took part in the Greek version of the show, known as Dancing With The Stars, during her painful rehabilitation from breast cancer surgery. Victoria is a novelist best known for her number-one 2005 bestseller The Island, which takes place on the island of Spinalonga, off the coast of Crete. Annabel Croft is starring on Strictly (Image: GETTY) During her time on the show, she was partnered up with Tilemaxos Fatsis, but the pair were eliminated halfway through the contest exactly one year after her mammogram. She recalled: ‘I had to hold back the tears. The demands dancing makes on you ensures that at the right moments you forget everything but the music and the rhythm. ‘It takes hold of your body and soul. It made me regain the sense of self I’d lost in those months after diagnosis.’ Victoria later added: ‘Annabel, I wish you the best of luck. And know this: even when you are having a quiet sob in a corner, you’ll soon find yourself being whirled and twirled — and feeling the power of the dance.’ Annabel, who shares her daughters Charlie, 27, and Lily, 25, with her late husband, has previously spoken about how keen she is to join in on the ‘joyfulness’ of Strictly. Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight at 6.20pm on BBC One and iplayer.