Dame Arlene Phillips has broken her silence on the upcoming hosting changes for Strictly Come Dancing, offering a characteristically forthright opinion on the candidates vying for the coveted role. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror at the Make-A-Wish UK annual ball at London's Savoy Hotel, the former judge did not hold back.
Arlene's Take on the Host Contenders
When asked about the rumoured replacements for Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, the 82-year-old choreographer quipped, "It should be me, of course! It's all about me!" before turning her attention to Angela Scanlon, the flame-haired Irish presenter and former contestant. "Angela Scanlon, she'd be good - but she can get a little irritating, at times!" she said.
Arlene also commented on other names in the running, including Rylan Clark, Zoe Ball, and Emma Willis. "Yes, I've heard about Rylan, Zoe Ball, Emma Willis… And look, I'm sure they'd all be great, absolutely brilliant at it - but I do wish they would come up with something new, not just go with the same names. Find someone else, from… anywhere!"
Her Strictly Legacy and the Age Controversy
Dame Arlene served as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing from its inception in 2004 until 2008, alongside Craig Revel Horwood and the late Len Goodman. At the time, her dismissal and replacement by Alesha Dixon sparked controversy, with many speculating that her age was a factor. Now, reports indicate that auditions are underway for new hosts and professional dancers following the departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, as well as the controversial exits of beloved pros like Nadia Bychkova and Karen Hauer.
Jungle Memories and Facing Fears
Reflecting on her own television adventures, Arlene recalled her stint on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2021, where she became the oldest contestant in the show's history at age 78. She revealed two motivations for entering the jungle: overcoming her fear of creepy-crawlies and being inspired by a young cancer patient she was mentoring.
"One of my grandchildren was playing in the garden one day, and I went over and saw her. She was like, 'Grandma, I think the spiders have a home here.' And I hate spiders. I was backing away, and I thought, you know what, maybe I'll do the jungle and fight that fear," she explained.
Her other motivation came from a mentee: "I was mentoring this beautiful girl who had cancer, who was very young and so brave and so fearless. I felt ashamed of myself that I was scared of doing a show. So I did it, I took the plunge. And I achieved what I wanted, because there were snakes all over me and I was calm as can be. And I'm not a calm person, as you can see!"
Arlene described her jungle experience as short-lived, being the first eliminated, but she cherished the friendship she formed with Richard Madeley. "I did the jungle with Richard Madeley. Oh, I love Richard! He was my lifesaver there. He was my friend, I was so upset when he fell sick and had to go. I missed him terribly."
Dame Arlene was speaking at Make-A-Wish UK's annual ball, A Night of Wishes, which raises funds for children facing critical illness across the UK.
