Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Nancy Dell’Olio said yesterday that age means “virtually nothing” to her and that she would be “honoured” to pose for Playboy magazine.

The outspoken Italian lawyer and former girlfriend of ex-England football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was speaking at a celebrity “soapbox” event organised by website The Huffington Post UK.

Standing on a red box in the middle of the foyer at Westfield shopping centre in east London, the 50-year-old told shoppers: “I think the idea of age is a thing of the past. For me it means virtually nothing.

“Confidence, sensuality, energy, determination – these are all things that I feel now more in life than I have ever felt before.

“As a society and individuals we develop a preconception about how people should behave at different stages of life.

“And unless you challenge this belief, it can become hard to break out of certain boundaries and live your life with no restrictions.

“To live outside the box is a state of mind.”

She said she had an “incredible experience” on Strictly Come Dancing, adding that “agelessness is doing what you want, when it feels right for you”.

She said she would be “honoured” if Playboy magazine asked to photograph her.