Ex Strictly decide Arlene Phillips hints at return after she was axed

Dame Arlene Phillips has hinted at an exciting return to Strictly Come Dancing, over a decade after she was axed from the judging panel.

The legendary dancer and choreographer, 81, was one of Strictly’s original judges and spent four years on the panel, alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman.

In 2009 it was announced that Arlene had been dropped as a judge and was to be replaced with Alesha Dixon. This sparked backlash as people accused the BBC of discriminating against older women, something the broadcaster denied. 

And 15 years later, Arlene could potentially be making a return, she told The Sun at the 2024 Pride Of Britain Awards on Monday night.

She said: ‘I’ve been filming something today, which will be coming out soon and is hilarious. 

Dame Arlene Phillips, 81, has hinted at a exciting return to Strictly Come Dancing, over a decade after she was axed from the judging panel

The legendary dancer and choreographer was one of Strictly’s original judges and spent four years on the panel, alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman (Len, Craig and Arlene pictured in 2008)

‘It’s something to do with dancing.’

When asked on the red carpet if she has plans for a Strictly return, Arlene added: ‘Maybe a little chat…’

In May, Arlene claimed the BBC ‘never apologised’ or gave a reason for why she was axed.

Speaking on Elizabeth Day’s How To Fail podcast, Arlene said that she was never even given a reason for being ‘uninvited to return’.

‘I didn’t leave,’ Arlene said. ‘I was uninvited to return. And I think there’s a big difference. If I had left the show, it would have been my choice.

‘I actually feel even to this day, I wish it had been discussed. I wish that they had come to me and said, “We’re not going to keep you on”, and what the reasons were, and then I could adjust myself to it.’

Arlene added: ‘Certainly no one’s apologised. We did go for meetings two [maybe] three weeks after, but it was just, “What can we offer you instead?” Nothing, at all about any reason.

‘The truth is I just don’t think they thought I was good enough. That’s the truth about it. That’s what really hurts because I felt like I was a good judge.’

In 2009 it was announced that Arlene had been dropped as a judge and was to be replaced with Alesha Dixon (pictured)

And 15 years later, Arlene could potentially be making a return, she told The Sun at the 2024 Pride Of Britain Awards on Monday night

When asked on the red carpet if she has plans for a Strictly return, Arlene added: ‘Maybe a little chat…’ 

In May, Arlene claimed the BBC ‘never apologised’ or gave a reason for why she was axed 

Arlene added: ‘I pretty much only was allowed to wear black jackets. Yes. I had two posh ones, designer ones, and the rest came from Next or M&S.

‘And you’re sort of positioned in this role. And believe me, Judging on Strictly is role playing. It’s role playing for everyone… it always has been.’

In March, Arlene slammed the BBC as she revealed that she found out she had been dropped from her role as judge when a journalist called her.

In an interview with the Guardian, Arlene explained she was most angry at the way the BBC handled the axing, explaining how the first she heard about it was when a radio show called her for a comment.

‘I was a grown-up when I did that show, so I resent that the BBC didn’t come to me as soon as they had the thought,’ she said. ‘More than knocking my confidence, I think it swirled around me, and I thought: “I need to find myself.”

‘I needed all the mental preparation that I could muster to go: “Hang on a minute – you had a big career before this and you’ve got work lined up”.’