Arlene Phillips reflects her ‘tough’ axe from Strictly amid ageism row as she weighs in on show’s bullying scandal and her own ‘strict’ teaching style

Arlene Phillips speaks candidly regarding her challenging exit from Strictly Come Dancing, addressing allegations of harsh treatment and bullying within the program.

In the year 2009, at the age of 30, Alesha Dixon took over from the then 82-year-old judge, without any given reason. This change came despite her having extensive experience in dancing and choreography that spanned for decades.

Later, the BBC faced allegations of age discrimination when it was revealed that Arlene, a former member of the 1970s dance group Hot Gossip, discovered she had been fired via radio broadcast rather than being informed personally.

In 2023, the ongoing debate about the popular TV show took a turn for the dramatic when Amanda Abbington, aged 51, alleged that her dancing partner, Giovanni Pernice, who is 34, had been behaving in a bullying manner towards her.

According to The Sunday Times, Arlene shared: “I cherished my experience on Strictly Come Dancing, and parting ways was challenging, but I picked myself up and moved forward with life.

‘Though I wasn’t present during the allegations of bullying among some dancers, I was firm when I began my role as a teacher.’

Arlene, with kids born at the ages of 18 and 47, shared that her children helped her learn to express feelings without getting angry.

She mentioned that having a child made her understand there was an alternative method for communicating with others, as she didn’t wish to get angry.

‘There are ways to get people to do as you want without shouting.’  

In a recent interview, Arlene, who now works as a choreographer for Guys and Dolls, looks back at her life over a decade and a half since she left Strictly.

Speaking about her granddaughters as the greatest source of happiness currently in her life, she remarked that losing her mother at age 15 made her realize the need to strive and work hard to achieve the life she desired.

One piece of advice I hold dear, shared by Arlene, is always taking a moment to consider the impact of my words and actions on others.

Following partial validation of the accusations against Giovanni, her remarks emerged as more individuals shared experiences that portrayed a problematic work atmosphere on Strictly, suggesting a hostile environment.

Later on, Giovanni clarified that although he may come across as stern, he does not behave like a bully. He explained this to ITV’s Lorraine in September, stating, “Being a bully is a strong term, and there’s a distinction between being tough and caring about one’s work, and simply being a bully.

Following a six-month examination into accusations made by the actress portraying Sherlock, who earlier labeled Giovanni as abusive, cruel, and mean, the BBC stated in September that they could not substantiate any physical abuse allegations. However, they acknowledged certain instances of verbal mistreatment and harassment and offered an apology to Amanda for such behavior.

From the review of seventeen complaints, they confirmed six, including some instances where Giovanni employed profanity. The report indicates that his choice of language may have been demeaning.

Alongside Amanda’s view, the BBC acknowledged instances where his feedback seemed excessively critical towards her.

As an ardent admirer, I must say that the assessment unveiled not one, but two instances where the workplace banter, perceived as flirtatious by some, was involved in Amanda’s dancing. Interestingly enough, these moments were deemed jokes, humor, and compliments, which were mutually accepted and initiated by both parties. The review affirmed that this interaction was consensual and two-way in nature.

Yet, her assertion that the video he sent her via WhatsApp was inappropriate was dismissed as unfounded by the BBC, who found no evidence of sexual impropriety in it.

To this day, Arlene asserts that the broadcaster hasn’t provided any explanation for why she was fired from the program.

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2025-06-30 20:18