Strictly Come Dancing’s Annabel Croft reveals what her late husband Mel thought of pro partner Johannes Radebe

Annabelle Croft has revealed what her late husband Mel Coleman really thinks of her Strictly Come dancing partner Johannes Radebe.

The former tennis player, 57, is taking part in the latest series of the BBC ballroom dancing competition after losing her beloved husband of 30 years in May.

Her late husband and father to their three children Charlie, Amber and Lily died aged 60, weeks after being diagnosed with stage three cancer.

Tragedy is what inspired Annabelle to take part in the competition and she insists it has helped her take her mind off her difficulties at times.

Now she’s revealed what Mel thinks of Johannes – and how she wants her family to be able to watch the show together.

Annabelle said the Metro that Mel always loved the show, he loved watching Johannes. He was very emotional looking at Johannes.

“I can picture him in the kitchen calling us all on the screen to watch (Johannes) so I’m a bit sad he’s not there to witness it.”

‘It would be a big deal for us as a family.’

Annabelle is preparing to dance Jive to Still Feel It by Portugal’s The Man with Johannes, 36, on Saturday night.

She appears in the BBC show alongside Adam Thomas, Angela Rippon and Zara McDermott.

Annabelle said earlier The mirror: ‘I just love the fact that it just takes you to a different place, you try something completely different, but you also try to let go and try to be in the moment. We’re trying to get there, I don’t think we’re there yet.

“But try to feel the music and start to, when you get the steps down, just let it all go and just play and be free in your spirit.” And it is very joyful. It kind of brings me back to my childhood.’

Former America’s Cup yachtsman Mel died just two months after he started complaining of stomach pains.

And Annabelle recently told Lorraine Kelly during an appearance on her ITV1 show how dancing helped her take a break from “too many dark thoughts”.

She said: “It was a nice distraction from the sadness.

“It was nice to do something joyful and use my body and try to give my brain a break from too many dark thoughts.”

The radio host previously revealed she was in a dark place after Mel’s death and cried every day in the weeks following the loss.

Ahead of Strictly, she said she hoped the grueling training schedule would help take her mind off her heartache and help her ‘find some joy’.

Since being on the show, Annabelle has revealed that her spirits have improved and the competition has allowed her to get stuck into a new challenge.

Annabelle said her Strictly partner Johannes was “the most amazing human being” as she applauded his kindness and patience.

Annabelle said: “I won gold. Johannes is just the most amazing human being.

“You have incredible energy, incredible kindness and patience.” You are an amazing dancer, but also an amazing teacher.’

But her time on the dance floor will be bittersweet without her husband of 31 years to cheer her on.

“He always loved the show and cried watching it,” she previously said. “So I’m completely heartbroken that he’s not here to watch with me.”

Just weeks after Mel’s death, Annabelle bravely returned to work, giving post-match interviews as part of the BBC’s coverage of the Wimbledon final and overseeing the ceremony where winners Marquette Wondrousova and Carlos Alcaraz received their trophies.

Mel, a successful investment banker who competed in the America’s Cup and recently ran a tennis school with his wife, was known for his apparently perfect health and, like Annabelle, enjoyed an active outdoor lifestyle.

After the Covid lockdown, the two converted an old delivery van into a mobile home and drove it across the country and Europe on holidays.

Shortly after he died, Annabelle said: “My beloved husband Mel passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning after a short battle with cancer.

“My family and I are completely heartbroken and ask for privacy at this very sad time.”

Earlier this year, Annabelle, the former British number one, recalled that her path crossed with Melina’s quite by chance when she was at a crisis point.

At 21, she was at the US Open and was talking to fellow player John Newcomb, who suggested she think about what she wanted to do with her life because she seemed unhappy.

She had been on the tennis tour for almost six years and was lonely, stressed and lost from the demands of constant competition.

“While we were talking, I got a message from my mother saying that the BBC production office in Belfast was asking me if I would be interested in filming a program about yacht racing.

“I had never been on a yacht before but it ended up being myself, Eamonn Holmes and Peter Skellern going to Guernsey to film a program where we learned how to race a yacht.

“Mel, who had just returned from Australia after the America’s Cup, was one of the sailors and that’s how we met.”

“After a day of filming we’d all go to the pub, have dinner – it sounds weird, but I’ve never done that – and I remember thinking, gosh, this is really fun and normal, and I want a bit more of this rather than get up and put on my tracksuit and worry about my backhand working today.’

They married six years later.