Ex-Strictly judge Arlene Phillips says the show needlessly made a fuss out of same-sex dancers
FORMER Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips thinks the show made a fuss out of same sex dancers needlessly.
The choreographer, 77, told how she had often worked with same sex pairings and created a routine with Anton Du Beke and Judge Rob Rinder for the Grenfell Tower fund-raiser.
She said: “I feel absolutely you could have male, male, female, female partners, and it shouldn’t be made a fuss of.
“They are not making a decision to do a defined male or female role. They are dancing together. And I think we should all, let it happen.
“Dance has to readily move forward and it’s not an offensive thing.”
ITV’s Dancing on Ice had their first same sex pairing this year with Ian ‘H’ Watkins and Matt Evers which SCD followed up with a same sex dance by pros Johannes Radebe and Graziano Di Prima.
The former ballroom dancer is taking part in the Great British Win to raise money for charity by offering one lucky person the chance to go for dinner with her at The Ivy and hear all her gossip.
Arlene has also dropped her investigation into the BBC for axing her from the prime time show as she believes there are more important things.
She said: “I just look at what is happening now to so many people and it just pales into insignificance. So many people are losing their jobs, businesses are not restarting.
“Something like this pandemic puts it into perspective, it makes you sit up and really think about what will happen in the world.
“I want to spend my time looking forward and trying to help if I can in any way help people who are affected, truly affected by loss. Whatever that loss may be.”
Arlene believed she was axed due to ageism, with Alesha Dixon replacing her, and submitted a freedom of information request to access all the material around her departure.
In an exclusive interview she also claimed that judges on TV are putting on a performance rather than doing their role fairly.
Arlene added: “It’s a difficult role because as a judge are you yourself and being honest about what you’re seeing or are you in some way playing a role and you’re therefore committed which might be committed to not hurting people.
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“It’s about finding a balance of honesty, of real true judging and how you should be helping people.
“I think the best judges are the most honest but I often feel that sometimes on television it leads you to playing a character. If you become a character, are you really judging?”
Arlene is partnering with the Great British Win to raise funds for NHS Charities together, Meals for The NHS, Age Uk and Refuge.
One lucky winner will be selected to have dinner with her at The Ivy and can ask her anything they want to know about the showbiz world.
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She has also nominated Peter Andre, Oti Mabuse, Catherine Tyldesley, and West End star Layton Williams to offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
- For a chance to win dinner with Arlene, or to bag another celebrity experience, visit
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