BBC in major schedule shake-up as a FULL NIGHT of programming is axed for Strictly star

THE BBC is set to undergo a major schedule shake-up in order to honour one of its most beloved stars.

Angela Rippon will see her TV life flash before her eyes this month when BBC Four celebrates her 80th birthday.

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The channel has cleared its entire schedule and dumped all of its regular programming in favour of a night devoted to Angela.

BBC Four has opted to show a series of classic TV episodes from the BBC archives hosted by Angela.

In total, a whopping nine programmes about or hosted by Angela will be screened across the evening.

The night will kick off at 7pm with a special entitled Angela Rippon at the BBC, a documentary-style programme looking back at Angela’s best moments at the Beeb.

From starting out as a local news reporter to becoming a quiz show host and for her appearance on Morecambe & Wise’s 1976 Christmas Show.

A special programme will then follow showing Angela recalling her fondest memories from her time on Top Gear before an old episode hosted by her is screened in full.

The episode in question will be the first ever one, originally broadcast on 22 April 1977, where Angela drives up the M1 in her Ford Capri and explains the importance of road and motorway safety.

Next up will be arguably Angela’s biggest role to date – her time on the original Come Dancing.

Angela will be seen chatting about her time on the show before the 1990 final episode is aired in full.

Other programmes to air within the special day include Angela Rippon Meets: The Hoofers and Angela Rippon: Masterteam among others.

Angela’s latest TV gig was her time on Strictly Come Dancing where she was paired with now benched pro, Kai Widdrington.

She wowed on the dancefloor which marked a full circle moment for her, having presented the original show that Strictly is based on.

Angela reached week 10 on the show and largely managed to avoid the glare of the Strictly scandal that followed, but it was claimed earlier this year that Angela was told not to speak about an injury she had sustained during training for a newspaper interview.

Behind the scenes, Angela’s body took a beating in the training room, though show chiefs allegedly didn’t want her to share details after a gory accident, according to her agent Sue Ayton.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4, she said: “Angela was writing a column at the time for a newspaper and she wanted to include this because it was such a wonderful story how everyone had come together.

“And we were told to scale this back, you are not to mention you cut your leg and there was blood. Well, why not? 

“Because this is showing the BBC at its best. We were encouraged to play down the fact that she had hurt herself so as not to puncture the illusion and fantasy.”

Sue went on to describe the frivolity of the Strictly world as an illusion.

She continued: “They need to look at the entry point and how people are prepared. This is terribly hard work. 

“What we found was that the BBC creates an illusion and a fantasy of this wonderful world. Rehearsals are all happy, but at the same time it is very hard work.”

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