Angela Rippon reveals the 'great disappointment' of Rip Off Britain

Virgin Radio

21 Mar 2024, 12:49

After 15 series of Rip Off Britain, Angela Rippon has revealed there’s a “great disappointment” in presenting the consumer show all these years later. 

The Strictly Come Dancing star has co-hosted the BBC series alongside Jennie Bond and Gloria Hunniford since 2009, with the informational series hoping to help people beat scammers and fraudsters by staying on top of the latest illegal schemes. 

Despite being on a mission to keep people out of rip-off deals circulating the UK, Angela admitted that fraudsters are getting more “sophisticated” and therefore, the show still needing to help the public after 15 years is a disappointment.

Speaking exclusively to virginradio.co.uk, the broadcaster revealed: “At the beginning, we thought, ‘we're doing what public broadcasting should be’, which is we're informing, and we're entertaining. I don't think we thought that it would still be going for 16 years. But over the years, I think it's a great disappointment to us that fraudsters have become much more sophisticated.”

She continued: “They've come up with all sorts of ways in which they can pinch your money basically. So our job has not ended. As much as we love the fact that we're into 16 series, in a way we wish we didn't have to be there. But we do.”

For Angela, she’s still keen to help the public and particularly vulnerable people save money during the cost of living crisis, and has joined forces with Smart Energy GB and National Energy Action to encourage more people to get a Smart Meter and save more money on energy bills.

Speaking about how more older people should look to get a Smart Meter fitted, Angela implored: “It takes all the anxiety out of running out of credit, it takes the anxiety away from your family who think, ‘Oh, what happens if they run out of credit, and I can't get them on the phone or they're cold, or they can't make make a cup of tea and I can't get in touch with them?’ It takes all that anxiety away, without you actually having to do very much.”

Outside of Rip Off Britain, Angela is also all about the dance floor still after her star turn on Strictly in 2023. 

The 79-year-old became the oldest contestant to take part in the competition last year, and wowed everyone with her dance skills, making it all the way to Blackpool before being sent home. 

Speaking exclusively to virginradio.co.uk, the TV star revealed she’s herself a new challenge to continue dancing - and is hoping to get the county on their feet.

She explained: “When I was doing the programme, because I'm 79, a lot of the comments that I got were from people, not just older people, but a number of young children who apparently used to say to their parents, ‘Granny can't do that!’ 

“The number of people who have been very generous, and very gracious in their comments, saying that I inspired them because of what I was doing. And as a result, they're going to exercise or they're going to dance. I don't want to lose the momentum of bringing that level of interest in dance.”

Rip Off Britain is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.