Anita Rani discusses covering up in her youth as she recalls wearing a sari on the BBC

She has confessed to previously feeling ‘shame’ about her Asian heritage and pressured into ‘toning down’ that side of her wardrobe. 

And in a new interview, Anita Rani, 45, discussed covering up in her youth, explaining how she wore ‘big, baggy stuff’ because she ‘didn’t want to be seen as a sexual being.’

The Countryfile presenter also recalled wearing a sari on the BBC for the first time – which she did during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee coverage in June – and admitted that showing ‘side ass’ on Strictly was ‘terrifying.’ 

Speaking on the Amanda Wakeley: StyleDNA podcast, Anita recalled: ‘My dad had a soviet jacket that I used to wear – big, baggy stuff – I mean thinking back it was a real sense of style.

‘But at the time it felt like I was making a statement about how I really wasn’t into dressing ”girly”. And I think actually, it was about sexuality.

‘It was about me saying I don’t want to be seen as a sexual being. I want to be seen as a young woman, who is part of a youth culture, that isn’t really about my sexuality; I don’t care about being attractive to men. And it’s complex, and layered. And that’s just from clothes.’

Terrifying! The Countryfile presenter also admitted that showing ‘side ass’ on Strictly was ‘terrifying’ (pictured in 2015)

Real talk: Anita also discussed covering up in her youth, explaining how she wore ‘big, baggy stuff’ because she ‘didn’t want to be seen as a sexual being.’ (Pictured in 2016)

The TV star competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, for the show’s fifteenth series alongside Gleb Savchenko. 

Asked in any of the outfits she wore on Strictly took her out of her comfort zone, Anita admitted: ‘Every single one.’

She explained: ‘Like the first one I wore – I’m not someone who is particularly slinky or sexy. That terrifies me. And also I don’t believe that makes a woman sexy, I’ve always said confidence does […].

‘The first outfit they put me in. I’ve never experienced it before in an outfit, side ass on show. It’s a thing! […] It was really exposing, and terrifying.

‘But the funny thing is, when you step into the bubble that is Strictly, is that what you do in your outside world and what you do in the Strictly world are two completely different things.’

A first: Anita also recalled the first time she wore a Sari to present on the BBC, which she did during the Queen’s Jubilee coverage in June, after he stylist suggested the idea

Anita also recalled the first time she wore a Sari to present on the BBC, which she did during the Queen’s Jubilee coverage in June.

The TV host admitted: ‘I don’t know when I will next do it. It just became obvious. I work with a great stylist called Krishan. […] I love, love, love, love clothes; I love style. 

‘However when it’s part of your job, it becomes like a job. So you need people to give you a hand. And he sort of went… maybe you go for a Sari for this? And as soon as he said it I thought, ”there is never going to be a better time than the Queen’s Jubilee”.

Sexy on Strictly: Asked in any of the outfits she wore on Strictly took her out of her comfort zone, Anita admitted: ‘Every single one’ (Pictured in 2015)

‘I’ve got to my place in the British media landscape where people know me now. And I feel like I can do this. And the reaction has been amazing.

‘I was walking out of the BBC and one of the security guards stopped me. It was quite emotional. And he said ”you looked amazing”. And he also said, ”it made us all feel proud”.

‘Somebody messaged me to say, my mother watched and she had tears in her eyes. She was a doctor in the 60s and she was told she was not allowed to wear a Sari on the wards, and here you are. It’s making me emotional. So you know, it was a moment.’

Amanda Wakeley: Style DNA is available on all major podcast platforms.