Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon is backing her former bandmate Sabrina Washington to win I’m A Celebrity 2009.

I’m A Celebrity launches tonight on ITV1 and Alesha told The People: “If I can survive the grief I had when I started on Strictly, then she can definitely do it. I have no doubts that she will get stuck in.”

Early reports suggest that Sabrina has already been flirting with Hollyoaks star Stuart Manning. Could there already be romance in the air?

Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon, has admitted that she would like to collaborate with X Factor’s Cheryl Cole.

The pair became close on last year’s Children In Need Mount Kilimanjaro climb and Alesha says it doesn’t matter that they appear on rival TV shows.

“I mentioned it to her ages ago,” Dixon told the Sunday Mirror. “Who knows? I’d be up for it. I know we’re from different shows and people try to play us off, but we don’t get involved in that rubbish.”

New Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon joins Jonathan Ross for this week’s Friday Night With Jonathan Ross on BBC One.

Setting the Strictly record straight, she reveals that she didn’t know Arlene Phillips was out: “I knew nothing, I found out when everyone else did. I was as surprised as everyone else but I took all the flak for it.”

She also denies Arlene was a victim of ageism: “Personally I don’t think it’s about ageism, I think that’s a load of rubbish.”

Although she thought she might not be accepted – “I was worried the judges wouldn’t warm towards me” – she’s emerged stronger since the press scruitiny: “I thought I’m not going to let the media ruin my experience.

“It’s made me stronger. My life has never been smooth; it’s made me more determined, focused… I’m a fighter, I believe you have to rise above negativity.”

She says she fancies Ricky Groves to go the distance: “You want people who make you want to get up and join in.”

And she admits she isn’t surprised contestants have affairs: “It gets flirtatious, it doesn’t surprise me.”

Finally, she announces she’s joining BBC Children in Need this year.

Alesha Dixon has insisted that she wasn’t ‘that bad’ during her first week on Strictly Come Dancing and branded many of her critics as ‘bitchy.’

Dixon told Heat magazine: “I think there’s a difference between having an opinion and being bitchy. It’s okay to have an opinion, but what’s not okay is when people say that you’re an airhead.

“What I started to realise with my 30-year-old ‘airhead’ was that this situation says more about other people than it does about me. They’d started slagging me off before the show had even started.”

She added: “What does that say about the perception of the younger generation? That actually because you’re below a certain age, you’re not going to have any intelligence our an opinion? I find that really bizarre.

“I didn’t think it was going to be a smooth ride, but I was shocked at how big a deal it was made into.”

Strictly Come Dancing star Ola Jordan has defended new show judge, Alesha Dixon.

Alesha was brought in to replace long standing judge Arlene Phillips on the show, sparking a huge ageism debate.

Speaking to The Mirror, Jordan commented: “I love Alesha. I met her when she danced on Strictly and she’s a lovely girl.

“She got the job, why shouldn’t she take it? I think she’s brilliant, I like her as a person and am really supportive of her because it’s unfair she’s had a hard time.”

Jordan added: “Strictly changes the professional dancers every year so why not change the judges too? It’s what’s best for the show. Alesha does know what everyone’s going through too. You can’t explain what it’s like to come out on the dancefloor.”

Alesha Dixon has claimed that her reinvigorated career has left her too busy for a love life.

“I don’t have a love life,” she told ContactMusic. “It’s going really well! I’m single and I’m not seeing anyone. It’s because of my schedule – they have me working until two in the morning and up again at six.

“But there’s nothing wrong with being single.”

Thankfully, her failed marriage with MC Harvey hasn’t put her off the institution altogether.

She added: “I would get married again, definitely.”

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Mark Foster has backed new show judge Alesha Dixon.

He told The Mirror: “Alesha struggled to find her feet – and she got a slating. But just like the contestants, she is getting better and better.

“Last week she was saying a lot more. She brings a freshness and charisma to the judging panel.”

Foster also added that he doesn’t think idea to replace Arlene Phillips with Alesha was based on ageism.

Foster insisted: “It has nothing to do with ageism, but I think the show needed a shake-up. She’ll be great.”

Ant and Dec have moved onto BBC territory and come out in support of Strictly judge Alesha Dixon.

Dec told London radio station LBC: “I think Arlene is missed and she did a great job on the panel. But Alesha does bring something new to it – a youthful dynamic.”

Ant added: “Alesha has had quite a lot of stick and you’ve got to remember that when Cheryl Cole started on The X Factor, she had weeks of the auditions to get used to passing judgment.

“Alesha will get there, she’ll get there.”

Strictly Come Dancing judge, Alesha Dixon, has said that she would love her own chatshow.

Speaking to The Mirror, Alesha admitted that she had been inspired by Oprah Winfrey.

“I would like to have my own TV series called The Alesha Show,” she said. “I’d love it to be like Oprah Winfrey’s.

“She is such a great role model of mine and it would be great to combine my interest in hardhitting subjects with my personality and love of fun and fluff.

“It is something I want to do and am working towards. My first guest would be Gordon Brown.”

Craig Revel Horwood has threatened to slap Alesha Dixon and Bruno Tonioli, if they keep talking over him during tonight’s Strictly Come Dancing.

“I would like to slap them both,” the acid tongued judge told The Mirror. “That’s my intention come this weekend. If they start rabbiting on I’m going to put a stop to that.

“They both try and out-talk me despite the fact I am only given ten seconds to speak. I think it’s rude to talk over other people and I can’t understand why they do.

“Are their comments better than mine? They are like little children.”

Horwood also admitted that he was quite worried when he found out he would be sitting beside Len Goodman this year.

“I was quite concerned when the producers said to me that I was going to be sitting next to Len,” he said. “I thought, ‘Oh no, now he can actually hit me’. I think it will be okay. I am trying not to argue with him this year.

“I don’t think we will ever see eye to eye but he has every right to say what he says. And I have every right too.”