Strictly's Annabel Croft 'screamed and wailed' at 'cold' doctor who told husband he'd die
Strictly Come Dancing star Annabel Croft has recalled the "brutal" moment a "cold" doctor told her husband Mel he was going to die following his stage three cancer diagnosis.
Strictly: Annabel Croft discusses late husband with Johannes
Annabel Croft tragically lost her husband Mel Coleman in May this year, just 16 weeks after he was diagnosed with stage three cancer.
In a new interview, the Strictly Come Dancing hopeful opened up about the harrowing moment a specialist doctor informed the couple of 30 years that Mel was going to die.
Annabel, 57, recalled that the doctor’s first words were “your life expectancy isn’t very good” and told Mel: “You've got colon cancer, spread all across your liver, into your kidneys; it's everywhere. You need to get your papers in order’.”
The former tennis player was left in shock. She continued to MailOnline: “[Mel] said 'Do I have a hope at all?' And this man - I still cannot believe how cold he was - said: 'No. It will be quick.
“’You will come in here tomorrow and we will take the intestines out and give you a stoma bag, but for the rest of your life - and we aren't talking very long - you will be in and out of hospital, having chemo. You won't be able to go in public places, and there will be no normal life’.”
Annabel said the “brutal” moment left her “hysterical, screaming and wailing” and she confronted the consultant saying: “I cannot believe this is coming out of your mouth,” to which he replied: “Some of us have to deliver the bad news and today I've got the short straw.”
Following Mel’s death less than six months ago, Annabel has been dealing with “waves of grief”, but she says Strictly Come Dancing is helping to “rest her brain”.
Back in August, the presenter said the BBC dance show “came at the right time” and that Mel “used to love watching Johannes” on the show.
When she was announced as a contestant, she told Chris Evans on his Virgin Radio show: “My husband used to love watching Johannes [Radebe]. I just think he’s so amazing, that would be a dream to dance with him...
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"It has just come at the right time for me and I hope I get rid of any stresses and just go out there and enjoy it.”
Annabel did of course end up partnered with Johannes and they have impressed the judges so far with their Cha Cha and Quickstep.
On Saturday, the duo will perform a Waltz to Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s for Strictly’s Movie Week.