BBC news reader and star of Strictly Come Dancing, Angela Rippon, has launched a UK campaign, backed by the Sport and Recreation Alliance, which aims to inspire people to dance.

Officially launched today by Rippon at 10.00am GMT at The Guildhall in London, (8 February) Let’s Dance! has pulled together more than 200 organisations – including the Royal Academy, the Richmond Group of Charities and the Alzheimer’s Society to inspire people to move more by getting into dance. The World Health Organization will be monitoring the campaign with a view to introducing it to other countries.

Rippon even has health secretary, Wes Streeting, on board and has convinced the UK’s National Health Service to include dance in its 10 year plan. A video talking about the initiative and the difference it can make to medical conditions will be going out to 55,000 GPs via the medical information site, Red Whale.

This is the first time the world of dance has united. “No one has said no to working with me!” says Rippon. “Even organisations who have refused to work together in the past. It’s been brilliant to take all of the great work out of individual silos and work collectively.”

Still able to do the splits at the age of 80, Rippon attributes her health to her love of dance, which was ignited at the age of five. “Dance is a superpower!” she says. “And it’s fun! I defy anybody to come to dance without a smile on their face.”

The campaign will be kicked off on 2 March with a National Dance Day, which will be heavily promoted with press coverage. Dance schools are being encouraged to open their doors and offer free taster sessions with a view to engaging people on an ongoing basis and special events are being organised around the country, including at The Eden Project in Cornwall and Blackpool Winter Gardens.

Rippon is appealing to the health club industry to get on board and offer up its dance classes free of charge for the day as part of the campaign. More information on running an event, promoting the campaign and reaching out to press outlets and local MPs is available from the Let’s Dance! website.

In the February issue of HCM, Rippon talks about why she thinks dance is the best form of exercise, how the idea for Let’s Dance! came about and the research on the benefits of dancing. Sign up here for a free digital subscription.