Annabel Croft shared heart-warming pictures in her ‘happy place’, Richmond Park, which she previously said reminds her of her late husband Mel Coleman.
The British tennis star, 57, posed with a coffee and bacon sandwich as she braved the cold on Wednesday, days after being eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.
She previously revealed that the green space in south-west London reminds her of her partner, Mel, who passed away from colon cancer on May 24, aged 60, just 16 weeks after he was diagnosed.
Sharing three images to her Instagram page, the sportswoman shared two pictures of Richmond Park’s scenery and one photograph of herself wrapped up against the winter chill in a padded coat.
Annabel captioned the post: ‘So wonderful to be back in my happy place, Richmond Park. Nothing beats a bacon sarni and a cappuccino on a Wednesday morning Have a lovely day everyone xxxx’
Annabel Croft shared heart-warming pictures in her ‘happy place’, Richmond Park, which she previously said reminds her of her late husband Mel Coleman
![The British tennis star, 57, posed with a coffee and bacon sandwich as she braved the cold on Wednesday, days after being eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/13/11/78907521-12858825-She_previously_revealed_that_the_green_space_reminds_her_of_her_-a-13_1702466416013.jpg)
The British tennis star, 57, posed with a coffee and bacon sandwich as she braved the cold on Wednesday, days after being eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing
![She previously revealed that the green space reminds her of her partner, Mel, who passed away from colon cancer on May 24, aged 60, just 16 weeks after he was diagnosed](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/13/11/78907519-12858825-She_previously_revealed_that_the_green_space_reminds_her_of_her_-a-1_1702466624856.jpg)
She previously revealed that the green space reminds her of her partner, Mel, who passed away from colon cancer on May 24, aged 60, just 16 weeks after he was diagnosed
Her post comes just days after her exit from Strictly Come Dancing on Sunday, ahead of this week’s show final.
Annabel signed up for the dancing show only weeks after Mel died, hoping it would bring some joy back into her life.
Although she has wowed judges with her samba and foxtrot skills, her journey sadly ended on Sunday, after facing off against EastEnders actor, Bobby Brazier, 20 with her professional partner Johannes Radebe.
Speaking after the show’s judges delivered their verdicts at the weekend, the emotional star said: ‘It’s been the most life-changing and extraordinary experience of my life.
‘Johannes, you have been absolutely extraordinary. You have given me a reason to get out of bed and come and dance with you, distract me and to heal me.
‘You have been so patient, so caring and so loving. You are an unbelievably special human being. I simply adore you.
‘I really want to thank Strictly for letting me take part in this competition. Thank you so much Johannes for the most special time I have had with you.’
Speaking of her husband’s passing, Annabel said: ‘When he died, a scan showed that his liver had pulled back from 97 per cent (of cancerous tumours) to 70 per cent.
![Annabel signed up for the dancing show only weeks after Mel died, hoping it would bring some joy back into her life](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/13/11/78907787-12858825-Annabel_signed_up_for_the_dancing_show_only_weeks_after_Mel_died-a-2_1702466728865.jpg)
Annabel signed up for the dancing show only weeks after Mel died, hoping it would bring some joy back into her life
![Her journey sadly ended on Sunday, after facing off against EastEnders actor, Bobby Brazier, 20 with her professional partner Johannes Radebe](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/13/11/78907819-12858825-Her_journey_sadly_ended_on_Sunday_after_facing_off_against_EastE-a-3_1702466732705.jpg)
Her journey sadly ended on Sunday, after facing off against EastEnders actor, Bobby Brazier, 20 with her professional partner Johannes Radebe
‘He’d started to feel much better. The pains and sickness went. We’d walk every day in Richmond Park. We walked for two-and-a-half months, basically.
‘We’d sit on a bench, watch the wildlife, hold hands. I’d say, as I always had done: “This is all I need. I only need you”.’
The successful investment banker was a seasoned yachtsman, bagging multiple titles, including the International America’s Cup and Admiral’s Cup.
The Strictly star first set eyes on her husband, Mel, in the mid-1980s in Guernsey while the pair were both working on a BBC production.
While Annabel had been invited to shoot for the yacht racing programme – along with the likes of Eamonn Holmes and Peter Skellern – Mel working as a yachtsmen on the show’s production.
Mel was a seasoned yachtsman, having bagged multiple titles, including the International America’s Cup and Admiral’s Cup.
The lovebirds quickly developed a relationship when the cameras were off, with the pair getting to know each other at the local pub post-filming.
Six years later in 1992, the couple tied the knot in St Martin’s Church, Kent, with their first child, Amber – now 27 – arriving only nine months after their honeymoon.
They went on to have another son and daughter – Charlie and Lily – who are now 26 and 24 years old, respectively.
The family made their home near the leafy area of Wimbledon, London.
Mel and Annabel also started business ventures together, kicking off their very own tennis academy in April 2009.
Their company would later become a global hit, with them going as far as the Algarve in Portugal to teach tennis.
![The Strictly star first set eyes on her husband, Mel, in the mid-1980s in Guernsey while the pair were both working on a BBC production](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/13/11/78907831-12858825-image-a-71_1702465337737.jpg)
The Strictly star first set eyes on her husband, Mel, in the mid-1980s in Guernsey while the pair were both working on a BBC production
![The successful investment banker was a seasoned yachtsman, bagging multiple titles, including the International America's Cup and Admiral's Cup](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/12/13/11/78907421-12858825-image-a-68_1702465246452.jpg)
The successful investment banker was a seasoned yachtsman, bagging multiple titles, including the International America’s Cup and Admiral’s Cup