Arelene Phillips is heading back!
Strictly Come Dancing star Arelene Phillips is returning to the BBC1 favourite this weekend - but she won’t be on the judging panel.
Arlene, who was controversially dropped from the judging line-up in 2009, has come back to choreograph a special performance for Sunday evening’s results show.
The number, to the music of David Bowie’s Life on Mars, will feature the Strictly Come Dancing pros and dance group Candoco, which is made up of disabled and non-disabled dancers.
Speaking about returning to the show for the first time since being replaced by Alesha Dixon on the judging panel nearly a decade ago, she told The Sun: “I did this because this is where my heart lies. I didn’t do this about resolving anything with Strictly.
“Was it hard for me to say yes? I’ve got to tell you, it was really hard.”
Arlene, who is reportedly rehearing with the dancers today at the famous Strictly studios in Elstree, said she didn’t know at this stage if she’d watch the action from the audience on Saturday.
“I’m not sure because I am supposed to be at an event anyway that day.”
She said it would be “very emotional” if she was there in the studio.
Meanwhile, Arlene told The Stage about working with Candoco, the first contemporary dance company to appear on Strictly.
“When I was asked by Candoco if I would be interested in working with the company on a project linking them together with some of the series-regular professionals in a unique piece, I was instantly intrigued.”
The 75-year-old star was part of the original Strictly Come Dancing judging panel. The original line-up was Arlene, Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Len Goodman. But in 2009 the BBC revealed that she was being replaced by former Strictly winner Alesha Dixon.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC1 this Saturday.
Arlene with Craig and Bruno: James Curley/REX/Shutterstock, Arlene pic: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock
