The 74-year-old was walking the red carpet at The Olivier Awards when she made the bid for TV producers to give older talent a chance to present and feature on shows past retirement. In 2009, Alesha Dixon, then 28, controversially replaced Arlene, then 66, as a Strictly Come Dancing judge, sparking claims of ageism against […]
Tag: Arlene
Arlene Phillips lashes out at Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli after Brendan Cole exit
“I think the show needs conflict, excitement and challenges,” Arlene explained. They went on to view a clip of Brendan arguing with Shirley over his Tango with Charlotte Hawkins during last year’s series. Shirley could be seen claiming there was “too much rise and fall” in their routine, with Bruno telling Brendan to be “more […]
Strictly Come Dancing: Arlene Phillips doesn’t know the ‘real reason’ why she was axed
The 74-year-old – who was on the judging panel of the dancing competition for five series – was given the boot from the show in 2008 and was replaced by former contestant Alesha Dixon. The shock move resulted in viewers accusing the BBC of “ageism” and Arlene has now revealed she was never “given a […]