The redoubtable politician, who said she was ‘proud’ to call herself a spinster, was a permanent fixture in British public life thanks to her long political career as a no-nonsense, tough-talking and stubborn figure on the Right.

Her Christian faith was also incredibly important to her. She converted to Roman Catholicism in 1993, driven in large part by the Church of England’s decision to ordain women as priests.

Ms Widdecombe was best known for her robust views on moral issues such as abortion, same-sex marriage and had a zero-tolerance approach to drugs. She was also a passionate supporter of Brexit, controversially describing the UK leaving the EU as ‘slaves’ rising up ‘against their owners’.

This journey eventually led to her leaving her beloved Tory party and joining the Brexit Party. She was elected an MEP in the south-west after Theresa May failed to secure a Brexit deal she could support.

Then in 2023, she joined Reform UK and was a vocal supporter of Nigel Farage, appearing on TalkTV to back the party leader ahead of the Clacton by-election just two days ago.

But while Ms Widdecombe was a formidable figure within politics, she became known to a much wider audience thanks to her appearances as a contestant on Strictly and Celebrity Big Brother.

Her agents, Cloud 9 Management, said in a statement this morning: ‘It is with great sadness that today we announce the death of The Right Honourable Ann Widdecombe DSG.

‘We send our deepest condolences to Ann’s family and friends.’

Former Conservative MP and star of Strictly Come Dancing Ann Widdecombe has died at the age of 78

In 2010 she became an unlikely star of the hit BBC dancing show as she was paired with the long-suffering professional Anton Du Beke

In one of the last pictures taken of Ms Widdecombe, the politician campaigns outside Reform’s Wigan headquarters for the Makerfield by-election

Ms Widdecombe was widely recognised for her social conservatism and Euroscepticism – but was also dubbed the ‘Queen of Comedy’ for her eccentric personality.

Her defection to Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party in 2019 followed a 23-year tenure as Conservative MP for Maidstone – later Maidstone and The Weald – between 1987 and 2010.

The Somerset-born politician held various ministerial positions under the premiership of John Major, including as Minister of State for Prisons, and later served as shadow home secretary under William Hague.

Throughout her career, Ms Widdecombe remained steadfast in her conservative convictions, opposing abortion and same-sex marriage.

She famously left the Church of England in 1993 and converted to Roman Catholicism following the CofE’s decision to ordain women as priests.

After her longstanding parliamentary career ended Ms Widdecombe turned her hand to showbusiness, appearing as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing alongside professional Anton Du Beke.

She became a firm household name as a result of her appearance on the show and quickly became a fan favourite for her entertaining and theatrical routines, lasting until the tenth week of the competition.

Up until her death, she remained a prominent public commentator – writing regular opinion columns.

Ms Widdecombe appeared on a talk show as recently as Wednesday, where she doubled down on her support for Reform leader Mr Farage ahead of the Clacton by-election.

Her most recent opinion article was published last week – drawing on her experience as a former employment minister to critique prime minister hopeful Andy Burnham’s plans for the youth.

Born on October 4, 1947 in Bath, Ms Widdecombe attended the Royal Navy School in Singapore and La Sainte Union School in Bath before enrolling at the University of Birmingham to study Latin.

She later read philosophy, politics and economics at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.

Ms Widdecombe, aged five-weeks-old, is held by her mother Rita as her ten-year-old brother Malcolm grins in the background

The former Conservative politician smiles outside the Houses of Parliament in her younger days

Ms Widdecombe is interviewed by Piers Morgan in 2011 following her decision to quit as MP for Maidstone and the Weald

The MP announces the shortlist for the WH Smith Books Awards at her Westminster office in 2002

Ms Widdecombe shares her views while representing the Brexit Party as an MEP in Strasbourg

She was elected as a member of European Parliament for the Brexit Party in 2019

Ms Widdecombe became a councillor in Surrey in 1976 before her eventual election to the Commons as a Conservative MP in 1987 to the constituency of Maidstone, which became Maidstone and the Weald in 1997.

Under John Major, she took up the role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security in 1990 before being promoted to Minister of State for Employment in 1994.

She was said to have visited every jail in the UK after being appointed Minister of State for Prisons the following year.

During an inquiry into a series of prison escapes in 1997 Ms Widdecombe said there was ‘something of the night’ about former home secretary Michael Howard, whom she had served under.

The comment is believed to have contributed to the failure of Mr Howard’s campaign to become Tory leader later that year.

Four years down the line she was unable to find sufficient support amongst Conservative MPs for her leadership candidacy in the 2001 party leadership election – which Iain Duncan Smith ended up winning.

Ms Widdecombe retired from politics at the 2010 election ahead of the onset of the coalition government and later expressed surprise at not being given a peerage by David Cameron.

Daily Mail columnist Andrew Pierce noted that following her decision to quit, many of Ms Widdecombe’s ‘lesser colleagues’ were ‘draped in ermine’ – while the veteran MP appeared to have been overlooked as an ‘independent, traditional Tory voice’.

Nigel Farage and then-Brexit Party member Ms Widdecombe enjoy a cream tea in Plymouth in 2019

The politician refused to apologise over racism allegations despite admitting using the term golliwog in Brexit Party WhatsApp group

Ms Widdecombe speaks during Reform’s Wiltshire conference at The Civic Trowbridge in February last year

Ms Widdecombe appeared on a talk show as recently as Wednesday, where she doubled down on her support for Reform leader Nigel Farage ahead of the Clacton by-election

Ms Widdecombe was later elected as a member of European Parliament for the Brexit Party in 2019 – using her maiden speech to compare Brexit to slaves revolting against their owners.

She joined Mr Farage’s Reform UK in 2023 and has since served as the party’s immigration and justice spokesman.

Her private life was a famously quiet affair, though it is known that she never married nor had any children.

It was reported she had a three-year romance while studying at Oxford but ended things to prioritise her career.

Outside politics she spoke of her fondness for cats and other animals such as foxes, describing the felines she has lived with on her website Widdyweb and campaigned on animal rights issues.

She has also talked of her love of music – while describing herself as ‘pretty well tone-deaf’ – and was known to write novels.

Ms Widdecombe starred in a Louis Theroux documentary in 2002, in an episode of ‘When Louis Met’.

After getting off to a difficult start when Louis quizzed her about her private life and single status, the journalist soon followed her everywhere – from her job as shadow home secretary to a cruise holiday to the Arctic Circle with Ms Widdecombe and her 89-year-old mother.

She also hosted the quiz show Have I Got News For You twice, in 2006 and 2007, prompting the comedian Paul Merton to later say the encounter had been the ‘lowest point’ of his career.

He described Ms Widdecombe as the queen of comedy’, adding: ‘At on point she turned to me and said, ‘Come on, be funny, That’s what you’re being paid for.’ I thought, I’m aware of my professional responsibilities.

‘That was the lowest point of my professional life, being directed by Ann Widdecombe.’

Ms Widdecombe attends the National Film Awards 2021 at London’s Porchester Hall

The politician ahead of an appearance on Good Morning Britain in 2019

MS Widdecombe in the hot tub on an episode of Celebrity Big Brother. She was criticised for comments perceived to be anti-LGBT by her fellow housemates

Perhaps Ms Widdecombe’s most memorable television performance however came during her stint on series 8 of Strictly Come Dancing where she became well known for her comedic routines and lack of traditional dancing ability.

Partnering with Anton DU Beke, she survived until the tenth week and finished in sixth place.

Ms Widdecombe’s iconic journey saw her handed consistently very low scores by judges – once receiving a record-low 12 for her Salsa and being described as like ‘a Dalek in drag’.

She returned to the ballroom in December 2018 for the show’s festive special, performing an American Smooth to ‘Sisters’ from White Christmas.

So successful was Ms Widdecombe’s strictly venture that in December 2010, seven MPs supported a parliamentary motion ‘saluting’ her and Anton Du Beke for ‘their achievement in putting a smile on the nation’s faces’.

Among the signatories were the late David Amess and Dr Therese Coffey, who later served as deputy prime minister under Liz Truss.

The Reform campaigner has also dabbled in stage acting.

She made her debut at the Orchard Theatre in the Christmas pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, alongside Strictly Come Dancing Judge Craig Revel Horwood.

Ms Widdecombe also stepped in at short notice to play the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in December 2016 – marking her first appearance as a pantomime ‘baddie’, a role she said she had always hoped for.

The late politician was never shy of a controversy as she caused a stir for partially defending Carol Thatcher’s use of the word ‘golliwog’ on Any Questions?

She said: ‘There is a generation to whom a golliwog is merely a toy, a generation which was much endeared by its golliwogs which grew up… and there is a generation, a new generation for whom that word is deeply offensive and one does have to make I think some allowance for the fact.’

In 2019, conversations between herself and Brexit Party activists were leaked in which Ms Widdecombe used the controversial word.

She said in one message: ‘Yes, I threw all my toys out of the pram. Bears and golliwogs flying everywhere!!’

That same year Ms Widdecombe doubled down on comments she had made supporting ‘gay conversion’ therapy – insisting science may yet ‘provide an answer’ to the question of whether people can ‘switch sexuality’.

Her maiden speech as an MEP in Strasbourg was also criticised for the imagery evoked of comparing Brexit to a colonised country rising up against occupying forces.

Ms Widdecombe appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in January 2018 where she was criticised for comments perceived to be anti-LGBT by her fellow housemates.

Despite this, she finished the competition in second place.