Strictly Come Dancing presenter Bruce Forsyth was forced to pull out of Saturday night’s show, after being struck down by a bad case of flu. Former judge of the show Arlene Phillips says he was badly missed.

She told The Sun: “Bizarrely, I thought the show missed him.

“It’s not until you haven’t got Bruce there that you realise how he really is so woven into the programme. I think it proved he’s pivotal to the series.

“And I was very surprised to realise that, because you don’t realise it when he’s on.

“You listen to his jokes and go, ‘Oh another Brucie joke’ – but suddenly there is a big hole to fill without him.”

Of how Bruce’s co-host Tess Daly coped without him, Arlene said: “Tess did really well in his absence but it makes you realise bosses got the line-up right in the first place.”

Former Strictly Come Dancing competitor Julian Clary, has admitted that he is missing Arlene Phillips on this year’s show.

Julian appeared on Scottish chatshow The Hour and when asked if he is watching the current series, Clary replied: “I am, but I’m missing Arlene Phillips a bit this year. She was like a mother to me when I did that show, unlike Craig Revel Horwood, who’s like an uncle you wouldn’t want to be left on your own with.”

He continued: “I do think it’s ageism really, because I can’t think why else. She knew her stuff, and there’s an awful rumour that Bruce Forysth might be next and they’re going to replace him with someone younger.”

Arlene Phillips has said that the Strictly Come Dancing judges were right to get rid of Jo Wood, on Saturday night’s show.

Phillips told The Sun: “She just has no idea what to do with her legs. Brendan [Cole] looked like he was moving a plank of wood, not a body. All I could think was the clocks have gone back and so has Jo.”

The choreographer continued: “She can’t work out her right from her left. She has no understanding or awareness of it. It is often something that goes back to childhood.

“I can’t imagine what she’s like driving. If she drives like she dances, she needs warning signs. I wouldn’t want to be in a car with her.”

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips has blamed professional dancer, Kristina Rihanoff for Joe Calzaghe’s departure this weekend.

Arlene thinks the pair’s performances were lacking, because their romance was so heavily publicised outside the show.

Arlene told The Sun: “The thing about Strictly romances like Matt and Flavia’s is nobody knew. That’s what made it so unbelievably powerful.

“We were seeing two people dancing together and everyone was thinking: Are they? Or aren’t they?

“Nobody knew and so what was happening on screen became extremely powerful and everybody wondered if it was real.

“But the romances this year – Kristina and Joe, Ali and Brian – are out there for all to see so it becomes meaningless on the dance floor. There is no mystery, no haunting quality.”

Arlene admitted that Kristina is a good dancer and teacher, but says sometimes other elements take over. She said:

“She’s powerful and very creative too. She takes the bigger picture of ballroom and Latin and sees within the rules what she can add or put in, she’s a very good storyteller to her dance.

“But she has a lot of other things on her agenda – and sometimes it overshadows.”

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.

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips has said that the current judges are scoring the contestants too highly.

Speaking to The Sun, she said: “The marks are too high – ridiculously high. I’ve done an overall mark for everybody and theirs are nowhere near where mine are.

“I think Craig [Revel Horwood] is the only one marking what he sees – and he gets booed.”

Phillips thinks the judges are being swayed by the dancers acting skills, rather than their dancing ones.

“Natalie Cassidy, Zoe Lucker and Craig Kelly are all actors and they know how to perform,” she explained. “With Natalie she was telling the story so much with her face, I kept missing her feet. It’s a bit like Derren Brown pulling the wool over your eyes.

“If you believe you can dance, you can act it and maybe that’s why they’re getting such high scores. If they carry on like this they’ll have to start marking them out of 20.”

The BBC are said to be in secret talks with Arlene Phillips and are planning to bring her back to Strictly Come Dancing.

The Sunday Mirror reports that show bosses want Arlene to choreograph dances in one of the final shows of the series.

A Strictly source said last night: “There’s a massive buzz about the idea of bringing her back. We’ve always seen Arlene as part of the Strictly family and, knowing how popular she is among the show’s fans, we have been looking at ways to bring her back in.”

Bosses are also said to be considering using Arlene as an extra judge, alongside Alesha Dixon and Darcey Bussell on this years grand finale.

One of the Strictly Come Dancing contestants has claimed that the BBC has banned them from criticising Alesha Dixon’s performance on the show.

The celebrity, who wished to remain anonymous, reportedly showed a briefing document to The Mirror. The document is said to give them answers to press questions about the Alesha/Arlene debacle.

One said: “It was made clear we can’t say what we really think. There is a culture of fear. It’s as if they are trying to brainwash us. It would be funny if so many of us weren’t worried about accidentally saying something inappropriate.”

In response to questions about Arlene’s departure, celebrities are instructed to say: “Arlene’s a good friend and I’m happy she will continue to be part of the Strictly family in her role on The One Show. I’m also looking forward to having Alesha join the series.”

When asked if the show is ageist they must reply: “Age or gender has absolutely nothing to do with the decision to replace Arlene. The age ranges of presenters, judges and contestants show this would not have played a part.”

However, the BBC said: “It is standard practice to give people who will be in interview situations guidance on any questions that may arise but it is ludicrous to suggest this amounts to the BBC banning or gagging anyone.”

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge, Arlene Phillips, has said that the new format show ‘drags on a bit’ and an hour and a half is too long for viewers.

Arlene was replaced by Alesha Dixon on the judging panel, but that hasn’t stopped her watching the show and giving her verdict.

“An hour and a half is too long and getting the results so quickly diminishes the excitement,” she told The Sun.

“Viewers like to be able to get up, make a cup of tea, then come back and settle in for the results.

“It heightens the level of excitement. Thinking, ‘Somebody is going to go home tonight’ used to give me butterflies. There was much more drama when there were two shows.”

So You Think You Can Dance boss Nigel Lythgoe has been singing the praises of his new colleague Arlene Phillips.

The former Popstars judge has forged an amazing career for himself in America, in shows like American Idol and SYTYCD and is now coming back to the UK to continue his TV reign.

Speaking of his decision to hire Arlene Phillips as a judge for the UK version of ‘So You Think You Can Dance‘, Nigel told The Sun:

“I’ve known Arlene for 100 years. We grew up together.

“Basically, I asked them to find someone older than me.

“I’m only kidding. There just isn’t anybody who has the experience she has. She’s honest – that’s why I like her.”

He added: “I don’t understand anyone saying she’s too old.

“I don’t want young judges if I go to court. I want someone old-looking like Solomon.”

On who the third judge will be, Nigel said:

“The third judge I’m happy to play with. I’ve just used Ellen DeGeneres on our show over here, before she was announced as the American Idol judge.

“She auditioned on my American show and then Fox ’stole’ her.”