Angela Rippon reveals her TV career was nearly cut short when she turned 50 and the BBC said ‘make way’

She made headlines by becoming the first woman to regularly read national news on BBC television.

Now Angela Rippon, 78, who began her television career in 1966, has said she nearly collapsed when she turned 50 in the 1990s.

She posed for a photo shoot for Prima and told the magazine: ‘When I was 50, John Birt, the then BBC Director General, said: “Angela, you’ve had your day; it’s time to make room for the young women who are coming after you.” Well, that was 28 years ago and I’m still here!’

Angela, originally from Plymouth, Devon, was 21 when she joined the BBC, later becoming a reader of the Nine O’Clock News and hosting Antiques Roadshow and Top Gear. She also appeared on the Morecambe and Wise Show in 1976 and dazzled viewers with a high kick dance routine, a move she can still perform.

The star, who is currently co-hosting the BBC’s Rip Off Britain, was married to her childhood sweetheart for 22 years before divorcing without children. She said that she is “very lucky to have many men” in her life who are “wonderful and genuine friends.”

Angela Rippon was a trailblazer when she became the first woman to regularly read the national news on BBC TV.

And in revealing the intimate details of her love life after her divorce nearly 31 years ago, she admitted that she has been in “a lot of long-term relationships” that she chose to keep “private.”

The broadcaster was married to Christopher Dare for 25 years, from 1967 to 1992.

She said: ‘I’ve been in long-term relationships since my marriage ended [in 1992]but I have kept them private.

“I was married for 25 years and when we were separating, Christopher told me: ‘I got sick of people coming to our house all the time.’

“It made me realize that when you do public work, you have to respect your partner’s privacy. Hardly anyone, beyond my very close circle of friends, would know who my partners have been in recent years.’

Opening up, she revealed that she has “a lot of men in her life” who are “wonderful” friends with no “complications.”

She added: ‘I am very lucky to have many men in my life, whom I adore, but who are not my partners.

“They are wonderful friends, authentic, without complications, who do not need any kind of affective relationship on my part.

Success: Angela, originally from Plymouth, Devon, was 21 when she joined the BBC, later becoming a reader for the Nine O’Clock News and presenting Antiques Roadshow and Top Gear.

Candid: Opening up, he revealed he has ‘a lot of men in his life’ who are ‘wonderful’ friends with no ‘complications’

‘I’ve reached the stage where I’m very happy with it. I think it works for them and it certainly works for me.’

The presenter also opened up to work at her age.

She has been keeping quite busy and in September of last year she appeared on The One Show where she did the splits live on air.

She too He wowed BBC viewers when he teamed up with ’90s icon Mr Motivator to work out online at the start of the pandemic.

First broadcast in March 2020, HealthCheck UK Live featured the 67-year-old fitness guru alongside Angela in a bid to lift people’s spirits during the coronavirus crisis.

The episode got off to a spectacular start: Mr. Motivator encouraged all the presenters to join his training, including Angela, who could be seen ‘moving’ on Skype.

“Young women are definitely coming after me, and I love it,” she said.

Childhood sweethearts: The broadcaster, 78, was married to her childhood sweetheart, Christopher Dare, for 25 years, from 1967 to 1992.

Take No No: The presenter also talked about working at her age and recalled an incident when she was told to quit.

Zest for life! She said: “I’ve met people at 92 who still have the zest for life of a 30-year-old, and I’ve met people in their 30s who, quite frankly, have one foot in the grave!”

“I’m delighted to see so many female broadcasters now reading the news, filming it, producing and editing it.

“I’ve met 92-year-olds who still have the zest for life of a 30-year-old, and I’ve met 30-year-olds who, quite frankly, have one foot in the grave!

‘The way I see it, you only get one chance in life, so make the most of it, whatever you do.’

Now, Ángela is focused on traveling.

She said: ‘This year, I want to travel more, without a camera crew. I have traveled the world for work, but now I want to travel just for myself.

“I recently visited Thailand and Bhutan, and then I hope to go to India, where I have never been. I even got my camera out and I’m taking pictures again, which I love.’

The April 2023 issue of Prima is now on sale.