Yahoo News How Strictly and Johannes Radebe helped heal Annabel Croft’s heart after grief
Annabel Croft built a beautiful friendship with her husband's favourite dancer Johannes Radebe
Strictly Come Dancing and her dance partner Johannes Radebe brought life back into Annabel Croft’s life after her husband died earlier this year, saying: "You have brought so much light into my life, you have been an angel."
Croft, 57, was heartbroken when her husband Mel died aged 60 in May earlier this year - only eight weeks after he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. And while her Strictly Come Dancing journey has now come to an end, she revealed how it had helped her navigate the grief of losing her husband.
In an emotional moment, the sports star revealed how her professional partner had been the one to heal her broken heart during the time on the show together. The tennis star hailed the Strictly experience as life changing and she thanked her dance partner for spurring her.
How Johannes Radebe helped heal Annabel Croft
She said on Sunday night's result show: "It’s been the most life-changing and extraordinary experience of my life. Johannes, you have been absolutely extraordinary. You have given me a reason to get out of bed and come and dance with you, distract me and to heal me."
Croft gushed over her professional partner as she added: "You have been so patient, so caring and so loving. You are an unbelievably special human being. I simply adore you. I really want to thank Strictly for letting me take part in this competition. Thank you so much Johannes for the most special time I have had with you."
Many fans were left gutted when Croft was eliminated this weekend, while Bobby Brazier and his partner Dianne Buswell were saved by the judges in the dance off. EastEnders actor Brazier will now compete with fellow celebrity contestants Layton Williams and Ellie Leech in the Strictly final.
But the tennis star shared her excitement for her fellow stars as she wrote on Instagram on Monday: "What an amazing semi-final and congratulations to all 3 finalists - you are all so talented and deserving of your place, in what’s going to be a wonderful final."
Annabel Croft's tribute to her late husband
One of her highlights in the competition was Croft’s Couple’s Choice dance which she dedicated to her husband. She danced from the heart as the choreography told her love story with Mel to the song Wings by Birdy. They incorporated the bench where she would sit with her husband into the dance and in a heartwarming moment, Croft blew a kiss to him.
Of the emotional dance at the time, she said: "This dance, I want to do this for Mel, there’s a lot of meaning behind the dance. It’s really special to be able to do it. I just hope that Mel is watching from somewhere, to watch, and will hopefully be proud."
The TV show gave her the much needed distraction she had needed. "There is no question about it," Croft told Good Morning Britain of how Strictly had helped her with losing her husband. "I don’t know where I would be if I hadn’t had Strictly Come Dancing at this period of time because it was such a distraction away from the terrible grief and I had no concept of what grief was. So to be able to get up in the morning and to have a purpose rather than just sobbing at home, even though that still happens."
Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe's friendship
Croft built a beautiful friendship with Radebe during their time on the show together - capturing the hearts of many Strictly fans. It meant the world to her to be partnered with Radebe as he was her husband's favourite professional dancer.
Speaking on Loose Women, she previously revealed: "Obviously the grief comes in waves and there are many days where you're just sobbing at home but with Strictly and meeting Johannes and going on this journey together, it literally has distracted me from all of that pain.
"And there are days, I mean poor Johannes has had to cope with quite a few in the rehearsal rooms and everything. I have such fond memories of Mel in our kitchen calling us all in to watch Johannes because he just thought he was amazing, he would pause Strictly and watch it back."
