Lynda Bellingham’s widower has revealed how the late star hated her time on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, when she was a contestant on the show in 2009.
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The ‘Loose Women’ presenter was unhappy with the way she looked and also disliked her professional partner Darren Bennett, who she called a “miserable git”, Michael Pattermore has said.
Lynda Bellingham did 'Strictly' in 2009
Michael makes the revelations in his new book about his years with Lynda, entitled ‘My Lynda’.
“There were two things about Strictly she didn’t like,” The Mirror quotes him as writing the book.
“She picked this ruched gold dress and she said it made her look 20 times bigger than what she was.”
He continued: "And the other thing, she said her partner Darren Bennett was such a miserable git. There was no laughter, no fun.
“All the way through rehearsals she didn’t mind training hard, but it was solid dance. He was just hard work. If Lynda had had a partner like Anton du Beke or someone, now they would have had some fun together.
“She said, ‘He’s just no fun to be with – you stand – learn this, learn that’. Even when they went for a cup of coffee afterwards, she said the guy was just blank,” he said.
Lynda was eliminated in the fourth week of the series, which was eventually won by then-‘BBC Breakfast’ host Chris Hollins.
Lynda lost her battle with bowel cancer last year
The star previously claimed that show battered her body confidence, during an interview with Yours magazine following her exit.
"The body image took a real battering, I must confess. I had not really taken on board how I would feel dressed in a flimsy dress in front of millions of people,” she said.
"I hate my upper arms. The costume designer was lovely and seduced me with long gloves and little capped sleeves, but I never forgot they were there. I watched myself after the shows and cringed... I am 61 and some of those gorgeous dancers are in their early 20s."