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Angela Rippon has exclusively revealed to Express.co.uk that she is simply too busy to feel lonely, despite living by herself ever since her marriage, to childhood sweetheart Christopher Dare, ended in 1989.
The legendary TV presenter has refused to consider retirement and is still busy working on BBC’s Rip Off Britain after triumphantly reaching Blackpool Week in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing with her professional dance partner Kai Widdrington, 28.
Speaking to us after a long day of filming in Manchester, Angela, 79, discussed working with Amazon on a campaign around the use and benefits of voice-activated devices for the elderly generation living independently.
Although she admitted to being “very fortunate” to still be working full-time, which allows her to spend most of her day in the company of like-minded people, Angela also enjoys the company of her Amazon Alexa device while relaxing at home.
She shared: “I’m very fortunate that I’m still working full time, so I’m with people all the time.
“And I’m so lucky because I have such a fabulous network of family and friends that I am never lonely. In fact, I quite value the time that I can have just to myself.
“That’s not being negative – I love being with my friends and my family and I love going to the theatre, to the cinema, to meeting them for brunch, or having dinner, having them in the house, and inviting a gang of people around. I love all of that.
“So I don’t have time to get lonely. I mean, this afternoon for instance, there’s a couple of people that I’ve been meaning to talk to, and as soon as I got into the hotel room [I called them] because it was lovely to have a spare half an hour, and I can just be talking to dear friends that I’ve not spoken to for the last three months because I’ve been a bit busy.
“And I’ve caught up with at least three people in that time. So I never get lonely – not ever! I have too many wonderful friends to ever get in that position. In that respect, I’m very lucky.”
Providing her advice to older people who do struggle with loneliness at this time of year, Angela admitted: “But I know there are a lot of people who will be lonely, but they can talk to Alexa, and while Alexa won’t replace a genuine human, at least it is getting a response, which is terrific.
“And perhaps persuading them to think, ‘well, why don’t I phone my friend Susan?’ And persuading you to do it.
“You don’t have to do anything mechanical or technical. And I know making a telephone call is not difficult.
“But, actually, the physical effort that it might take someone to pick up the phone and do it, that is taken away. You don’t have to do anything complicated. You just say, ‘Alexa, phone… whoever’. And that’s it.
“And I’m sure that stops people being introspective, I’m sure it does.”
Angela went on to prove that her youthful energy knows no bounds, as she teased potential plans to celebrate her milestone 80th birthday in Las Vegas in 2024.
The Strictly star spilled: “I’m excited about thinking of what I can do to celebrate.
“There was a time when I thought, well, one place I’ve never been – I’ve travelled in America a lot for work, and for pleasure – but one place I have never ever been is Las Vegas!
“I wouldn’t want to go there for a fortnight’s holiday, but three days in Vegas could be fun,” she pondered.
“So I just casually mentioned to some friends, ‘I might just take myself off to Vegas for three days for my 80th’, and I’ve had about half a dozen people saying, ‘can we come too, please?’”
Despite previously ruling out big birthday celebrations after turning 60, Angela hinted that she is now reconsidering her more understated plans for her 80th.
She continued: “I gave my last big birthday party when I was 60, and said I would not have the big ones again.
“When I was 70, I went off to Muscat in Oman on my own and had a wonderful holiday, I made new friends there, and had a wonderful time.
“So I might just take off on my own, or I might do something a bit outrageous, I don’t know! But I’m having fun planning it.”
Amazon is working with Angela Rippon to raise awareness of the power of technology to help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. The study, which provided Amazon Echo devices to people aged 65+ across the UK finds that 81% of elderly people felt less alone by using an Alexa-enabled device.
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Source: NewsFinale
