Anton’s thrilled with ‘malleable’ Lesley Joseph

‘Malleable’ perhaps isn’t the nicest sounding compliment in the book, but it’s music to the ears of Strictly Come Dancing hopeful Lesley Joseph.

The star’s ballroom partner Anton Du Beke didn’t hold back during an appearance on ITV’s Loose Women, admitting he’s delighted at being paired with the 70-year-old Birds Of A Feather actress.

“I must say Lesley is tremendous, absolutely wonderful,” he told the panel. “She picks things up so quickly.

“For me as a choreographer, it gives me the opportunity to put something together and change it a little, and she’s so malleable.”

And the feeling’s mutual, too. “I’m just sitting here lapping all this up,” Lesley cooed. “We’re having an absolute ball.

“A lot of people are saying, ‘Poor Anton, she’s the oldest woman who’s ever done it’, but they don’t know me.”

In fact, the clearly smitten pair are so confident in their ballroom prowess that Anton reckons they’re already halfway to the top of the Blackpool Tower.

“We’re so ahead of the game, we’re ready for Blackpool,” he laughed. “We’ve got it in the can.”

In fact, in sounds like Lesley could well be a bit of a dark horse in this year’s series. The star’s showbiz pal Linda Robson, who plays her long-suffering neighbour Tracey in the hit BBC sitcom, says she shouldn’t be underestimated.

“If people haven’t seen her in the theatre they may not realise what a good dancer she is,” said Linda.

“Lesley is a pro and works really hard. She’s really fit – I’ve been saying for years that she should do it.

Veteran sitcom star Lesley could hold sway over one of the notoriously tough judges, too: It turns out she already works with Craig Revel Horwood in a tour of musical Annie.

“I do a job-share with Craig so it’s going to be very strange standing in front of him and saying, ‘How was I, Craig?’,” she said.

No pressure then, Craig.