Ann Widdecombe brands Edwina Currie 'smutty' on Strictly

Ann Widdecombe has blasted Edwina Currie for being too "smutty" for 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

The outspoken former MP - who was a surprise hit with viewers last year - thinks Edwina, who was voted off the programme on Sunday, failed to appreciate the family appeal of the BBC One show after making several comments about her sex life and even exposing her underwear during a dance.

Ann fumed: "Edwina completely misread the programme and the audience. All her talk was very smutty - it's a family show. A large part of the audience is children. Anything that's going to make parents uncomfortable isn't going to be very popular."

However, Ann praised astrologer Russell Grant - who lost 10 stone prior to appearing on the show - for not taking the contest too seriously, and she thinks Edwina should have tried a similar tactic.

She added to The Sun: "Edwina's only other option was to be the panto act which Russell's done very well.

"She has a very bright mind and I expected some quick-witted repartee with the judges, but there wasn't even any of that."

Yesterday, Edwina claimed she was happy to leave the show - as training had left her too tired for sex.

She said: "I always feel sexy. I don't have a problem with that. The problem in the last couple of weeks has been at the end of the day, I've been so tired all I want to do is sleep."