ANN Widdecombe was a Conservative Member of Parliament for over 20 years.
But in 2019 she sensationally turned her back on the Tories to join Nigel Farage's Brexit Party.
Who is Ann Widdecombe?
Ann, 75, is a former Conservative MP for Maidstone.
Her father, James Murray Widdecombe CB OBE, was Head of Naval Supplies & Transport, Ministry of Defence.
Ann served as a Conservative MP from 1987 to 2010 and was also a member of the Conservative Christian Fellowship.
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Always a vocal politician, she famously remarked about Michael Howard that "there is something of the night about him", leading him to be satirized as a vampire ever since.
A question many people ask is whether Ann is related to comedian and Last Leg host Josh Widdecombe.
Despite the pair sharing a last name, they are not related.
She is an accomplished author, with several novels, autobiographies and works of non-fiction to her name.
A devoted cat owner, Ann is also a Patron of the charity Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land.
As of February 2023, Widdecome's net worth is $5 million (approximately £4.1 million), according to All Famous Birthday.
What does Ann Widdecombe do now?
Ann retired from politics at the 2010 general election and has appeared on TV and radio in her retirement.
She has fronted her own series, Ann Widdecombe to the Rescue, acting as an agony aunt and also served as question master on a Sky quiz show called Cleverdicks.
Known for her firm views on many controversial topics and her religious beliefs, she has also presented documentaries and was the subject of a Louis Theroux profile.
Ann has also appeared in a pantomime starring in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs where she performed with Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood.
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She's also stood in as a guest host on Have I Got News For You on various occasions.
In 2019, Ann returned to politics and sensationally quit the Tories and defected to Nigel Farage's Brexit Party.
Outlining her reasons, she said she was appalled by the failure to deliver on the Article 50 commitment to leave on March 29.
In April 2019 she branded Theresa May the worst Prime Minister since Anthony Eden.
Then in July 2019, she was slammed for her slavery remarks during her maiden speech at the Strasbourg parliament where she said there was a "pattern consistent throughout the history of oppressed people turning on their oppressors".
She was using the comment to describe the European Union and Britain causing other MEPs to demand she apologized immediately for the offense caused and claim she had embarrassed herself.
Ann then caused further rage when she joined the other Brexit Party MEPs turning their back during the EU anthem.
What TV shows has Ann Widdecombe starred in?
Ann's most memorable appearance was in the eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing.
She was partnered with Anton du Beke in 2010 and danced her way through to week nine, providing some hilarious performances which garnered public support.
In January 2018 Ann entered Celebrity Big Brother where she was runner-up to Courtney Act.
In 2002 she took part in Celebrity Fit Club, returning as an adviser in 2005.
In 2015 she took part in 24 Hours in the Past which was a living history show immersing six celebrities in a recreation of impoverished life in Victorian Britain.
In 2017, Widdecombe took part in ITV's Sugar Free Farm, which saw seven celebs ditch the sweet stuff and take to the fields to farm their own healthy food.
Is Ann Widdecombe married and does she have any children?
Ann has never married nor had any children.
On BBC Radio 4 in 2007 she described how a journalist once produced a profile on her with the assumption that she had had at least "one sexual relationship".
Widdecome replied: "Be careful, that's the way you get sued".
