Television star Angela Rippon is passing the Rip Off Britain torch to former BBC Breakfast anchor Louise Minchin for the show’s latest chapter.
Starting January, the BBC has confirmed, Louise will be joining forces with Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville on the well-loved consumer rights programme which began its TV venture in 2009 with Angela at the helm.
Sources close to PA news agency whisper that Angela’s stepping aside to embark on new endeavours, yet fans are ripe with speculation of her return in future series.
At the age of 56, Louise shared her elation: “I’m delighted to be joining the incredible team at Rip Off Britain.”
In her statement, she professed: “I’ve always admired the show for really making a difference, for shining a spotlight on the issues that matter most to people and empowering viewers with the knowledge to tackle everyday challenges and stand up for their rights.”
Determined to continue the fight against swindlers and offer indispensable tips to protect consumers’ finances, Louise pledged: “From uncovering scams to giving audiences the advice they need to safeguard their money, we’ll do our best to promote the stories that expose the latest consumer issues and help to make a real difference. It’s going to be an exciting series.”
Angela left audiences spellbound last year on Strictly Come Dancing, dancing with Kai Widdrington, and fondly remembered for hosting the shows earlier version Come Dancing from 1988 to 1999, reports Express.
Esteemed journalist and the BBC’s first female news veteran, Angela Rippon, has taken the helm of the 2024 Strictly Come Dancing tour while also lending her prowess to some captivating episodes of the latest series of Rip Off Britain.
In its upcoming season, Rip Off Britain is gearing up to tackle a plethora of consumer dilemmas from grappling with the aftermath of the catastrophic 2024 Dubai floods to navigating prickly compensation debates.
The show promises to delve into the destruction of holiday plans and expose a crooked domestic heating firm, which stands accused of aggressive sales tactics leading to extortionate energy bills.
The daytime commissioning editor at the BBC, Rachel Platt, gave a shout-out to Angelas addition to the Rip Off Britain team, saying: “Louise is a great addition to the Rip Off Britain team.”
Elaborating further, she praised the new host, adding, “She brings both the journalistic rigour needed to hold organisations to account and the warmth and empathy to get to the heart of real stories.”
Rip Off Britain will be returning to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from Monday, 6 January 2025.