Strictly Come Dancing celebrates it’s 20 year anniversary in a grand TV special airing on the BBC tonight – but the show has not been without its scandals in the last two decades.

Former judge Arlene Phillips admitted she ‘kicked, screamed and sobbed’ when she found out she was getting the boot from her beloved show.

The seasoned choreographer, 81, was a judge on the series – which celebrates its 20th anniversary tonight in a star-studded special – since 2004. However, after the show wrapped in 2008, Arlene found out she’d got the chop and was being replaced by Alesha Dixon, who is 35 years her junior.

Speaking out about the axe in a chat with the Mirror, the decorated Dame candidly admitted how she dealt with the news. She revealed: “I gave myself 48 hours to kick, scream, cry and sob, and eat scones with cream and jam, then I made myself wake up and get on with it.”

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge, Arlene Phillips, was given her marching orders from the show in 2008 ( 
Image:
PA)

She was a judge on the show for four years from 2004 ( 
Image:
BBC)

Dame Arlene went on to admit she felt she didn’t ask the right questions after finding out the news, having later had more time to reflect. She continued: “I was very fragile because I had a bereavement the day before [her manager died]. I wanted to know in detail and I wanted to know the real reason at the point when they decided for me to go, yet they kept me hanging on for so long with the possibility that there would be five judges.”

At the time, it was rumoured that Arlene was axed because BBC thought she ‘too old.’ However, she claimed she still didn’t know the reason why when she was dropped and replaced by the Alesha, who had never critiqued a dance show – but was crowned Strictly champion.

Following her exit from Strictly, Arlene went on to star in other dancing programmes, appearing on So You Think You Can Dance?. She also rocked up back on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’s 2021 series – becoming the oldest campmate to do so – and was a guest judge on Dancing On Ice, alongside former Strictly pro, Oti Mabuse.

During the Pride of Britain Awards in October, she spoke of her enduring love for Strictly, saying: “I loved being on Strictly. It’s very dear to my heart that I was there right from the start.”

When reflecting on the abrupt end to her time on the show, Arlene exuded elegance, stating: “I’m a grown up so when life comes along and it doesn’t go the way you want, you just get on with it.” However, when quizzed about the possibility of rejoining the show, the former judge was unequivocally resolute, affirming: “They would never ask me so I would never think about it. It’s not even an option.”