Arlene Phillips addresses ‘feud’ with Strictly co-stars

Arlene Phillips confessed she misses being a part of Strictly Come Dancing , which she was a judge on from 2004 to 2008. The 80-year-old appeared on Thursday’s BBC Breakfast and talked about feuds on the show as well as how she missed being on it. “When you’re on a project like that right from the beginning, it is such a little bubble isn’t it, and you worked so closely together so you inevitably are forming bonds, aren’t you?” host Ben Thompson remarked. “Yeah, you form a bond with some, you actually can’t stand others, but you know that’s life,” Arlene admitted as she hinted at a feud with some of her former co-stars. She continued: “But you do form a bond and you know, I miss it. Arlene Phillips: The former judge left the show in 2008 (Image: Getty) “I miss being part of that crazy, crazy life.” Naga Munchetty replied: “But you continue with this crazy, crazy life! “First of all, you’ve got House of Flamenka right, then you’re working with Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber as well…” Following the 2008 series of the hit show, the BBC confirmed Arlene would be dropped and replaced on the judging panel by at-the-time winner Alesha Dixon. The three other judges Craig Revel Horwood, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli were kept on the series. Arlene Phillips: The former judge ‘misses’ the show (Image: BBC) The news led to a huge backlash directed at the broadcaster, with some accusing the BBC of discrimination against older women on television, which it strongly denied. The opening of the 2023 series paid a special tribute to the late Len, who died earlier this year. Commenting on this, Arlene stated: “Oh my gosh, I thought the tribute was beautiful and I’m also so pleased that on Dancing with the Stars in America, they’re going to do a massive tribute to him too. “It was such a loss and it was so sudden for many of us because really only a few knew, Bruno knew… few people actually knew and it was a real shock. “Especially because Len and I… we were there at the pilot – we made the pilot. “And it was wonderfully brilliantly chaotic and Len and I spent many hours trying to form what the show would be.” BBC Breakfast airs weekdays from 6am on BBC One.