10 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT CBB’S ANN

She once branded it “vulgar” – but Ann Widdecombe is tipped to win CBB. We glimpse into the former MP’S life

1 HER FIRST LOVE WAS HER LAST. She has never married or had kids, but has admitted that her university boyfriend Colin Maltby, who she dated for three years, was the lost love of her life.

SHE’S ‘STRICTLY’ STRAIT-LACED. When drawing up her contract to compete on Strictly in 2010, she said, “I wanted it in writing that I wouldn’t wear anything I considered too revealing. And I wouldn’t carry out any moves that I considered immodest or suggestive.”

3 SHE HAS A WIDDY WEBSITE. She might be 70, but Ann is no stranger to technology and runs her own website – which she has dubbed the “Widdy web”.

4HER HOPES OF WORKING FOR THE POPE WERE DASHED. A devout Catholic, she suffered a detached retina in 2010 and, as a result, was unable to take up a post as Britain’s ambassador to the Vatican.

5 SHE’S A HIGH- FLYER WHO HATES HEIGHTS. She revealed, “I don’t even like travelling on the top deck of a bus… And yet I love flying.”

6 SHE’S NO COWARDLY CUSTARD. Mobbed at a book signing, Ann had custard pies thrown at her by protesters. She later said, “All the books that had custard pie stains on them sold out.”

7 SHE REFUSED TO WATCH TV. Until her mum moved in with her in 1999, Ann banned TV. Revealing why, Ann said, “I think there’s a huge amount of bad stuff in terms of the promotion of irregular living – irregular sexual relationships, drunkenness, crime, violence, bad language.”

8 SHE WAS ON DR WHO. Ann was cast as herself in the episode The Sound Of Drums, supporting Mr Saxon, aka the villainous Master.

9SHE ONCE DRESSED AS A MINER. Standing for election in Burnley, Lancs, she later recalled, “I had to go down a mine and crawl along on my knees and elbows.”

10 SHE WRITES POETRY FOR HER CATS. One reads: Goodness gracious, what is that? It’s Mr. Pugwash, my black cat. Good gracious, are there others? Yes, indeed – my cat Carruthers!