‘Quite a surprise’: Angela Rippon stuns viewers and experts with Strictly splits

The 78-year-old, the show's oldest ever contestant, demonstrated advanced moves in the cha-cha-cha

Whether you can do the splits is a favoured test of flexibility in the playground, but it's generally assumed that most people over 40 can't. So when 78-year-old Angela Rippon kicked her leg into a standing split on Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing, she caused a stir among viewers.

Rippon is the show's oldest ever contestant, yet experts say her move is difficult for most younger people and highly unusual for someone her age, as the body stiffens with age, while balance and muscle strength decline.