Dame Arlene Phillips ‘kicked, screamed and sobbed’ after finding out she’d been axed from Strictly

The previous Strictly choose was a part of the unique panel (Image: Rex)

The choreographer, 79, shaped a part of the unique judging workforce on Strictly when the present started again in 2004. 

Nevertheless, following the 2008 sequence of the BBC present, it was introduced that Dame Arlene, who was 66 on the time, had been changed by former winner and Britain’s Bought Expertise choose Alesha Dixon on the judging panel, who was 30.

Whereas she has spoken concerning the incident publicly earlier than, she has now revealed simply how tough she discovered it to course of.

She shared: ‘I gave myself 48 hours to kick, scream, cry and sob, and eat scones with cream and jam, then I made myself get up and get on with it.

Dame Arlene went on to confess she felt she didn’t ask the fitting questions after discovering out the information, having now had extra time to replicate. 

Arlene was axed after the 2008 sequence (Image: Shutterstock)

‘I used to be very fragile as a result of I had a bereavement the day earlier than [her manager died]. 

‘I wished to know intimately and I wished to know the true cause on the level once they determined for me to go, but they stored me hanging on for thus lengthy with the likelihood that there could be 5 judges,’ she added to The Mirror. 

On the time, it was rumoured Dame Arlene was let go as a result of BBC thought she ‘too outdated.’

Alesha changed Dame Arlene on the present, earlier than later switching to ITV for Britain’s Bought Expertise (Image: BBC)

However she nonetheless doesn’t know the explanation why she was dropped and changed by the singer, who's 35 years youthful than her. 

Following her exit from Strictly, Dame Arlene went on to star in different dancing programmes, showing on So You Assume You Can Dance?.

In current months, Dame Arlene has been again on our screens as a contestant on I’m A Movie star… Get Me Out Of Right here!’s 2021 sequence, and was a visitor choose on Dancing On Ice, alongside former Strictly professional, Oti Mabuse. 

Dame Arlene has set to work with Oti Mabuse tons this yr (Image: Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Dame Arlene praised her co-star, who she is at the moment working with on The Cher Present. 

‘It’s really easy working with Oti,’ she shared with the publication.

Nevertheless, she did recall having to inform off the South African dancer after she obtained a bit too carried away throughout rehearsals.

‘I did need to shout at her sooner or later due to her craziness!’ Arlene continued. ‘She was miming to Cher and we needed to get on with the work and I needed to say, “OK now, sufficient Oti! You may be Cher one other time however proper now you could get again to work”. I used to be fairly bossy along with her!’

Metro.co.uk has contacted the BBC for remark.