Queen of Saturday night TV, and national treasure Cilla Black, reveals she once spent over £5000 on a pair of designer jeans from the USA, and says she becomes ‘the reckless old pensioner abroad’ on her holidays.

Cilla, usually seen sporting the smartest of designer outfits on TV, divulged her most extravagant purchase to style guru Gok Wan during a high street makeover for his Channel 4 series Goks Fashion Fix.

“I have actually paid over £5000 to go to New York to get my American jeans. I’m not joking, I’m ashamed” says Cilla.

Gobsmacked at her extravagance Gok tells Cilla she has the most expensive behind in the business.

“Basically that’s about £5,200 for one pair of jeans. You’ve got the most expensive arse in the industry!”

Cilla, self-confessed designer devotee, thought she’d never get a decent pair of jeans on the high street. “I have to have bespoke jeans. I have to have really expensive jeans because I live in my jeans when I’m not on camera.”

Pointing out a pair of grey £40 skinny jeans Cilla says: “I love those jeans. I wouldn’t wear them over here but I’d wear them in Barbados, and Florida. I can totally relax in Barbados, I’m the reckless old age pensioner abroad but I don’t do flip flops. I do platforms; I always wear heels on holiday.”

In an attempt to get her out of her designer clobber and into high street fashions, Gok eventually converts Cilla to the wonder of high street denim in a pair of Topshop jeans for £35, a leather jacket from All Saints and sparkly sequin top.

Thoroughly impressed with her new rock chick look, Cilla tells Gok ‘I love it love it love it’.

“Honestly Gok I wasn’t looking forward to it because I hate shopping but look at this rock chick! I’m looking at me self and I’m saying ‘bring on the boys’!”

See Cilla’s transformation on Gok’s Fashion Fix, Tuesday 8pm on Channel 4.

Former Blind Date host, Cilla Black has spoken of her shock at John Sergeant’s departure from Strictly Come Dancing today.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live Cilla said: "I am shocked and I am stunned, I think it is an absolute disgrace because it is a public show, it is supposed to be entertainment – so yes the judges judge on the dancing, but at the end of the day it is the public that pays money for the licence and it is up to them to judge who they want on the show.

"I am absolutely disgusted by the whole thing, John I love you."

Cilla added that she believed John had "bowed to the pressure" after getting a "public sl***ing off" from judges on the show – and that she would like to see him back on the show.

She said in a message to Sergeant: "We love you… I think it is an outrage."

I have to say, I’m with Cilla on this….come back John!

We reported earlier this week that Cilla Black was making her comeback to ITV as a judge on the celebrity talent show Soapstar Superstar.

Speaking at the launch of the show in Manchester Cilla has said she is delighted to be back.

She said: “I’m really looking forward to it, I’m very excited. The reason I’m looking forward to it is because I haven’t worked with professional people in a long, long time, The people I have worked with recently have all been punters, members of the general public. This time they’re stars in their own right.”

She added: “It all came about after I went to several celebrations for ITV’s 50th birthday and they gave me my own star in Covent Garden which was really nice.

“It’s like going home, like I’ve not left, and I haven’t been there for nearly years since Blind Date. They just made me feel so welcome, so when the opportunity came up to do this show I thought it would be a nice way of easing myself back into television.

“If I don’t enjoy myself I won’t do any more, but let’s just see how it goes. I think it’ll be great.”

She has admitted to being slightly biased towards a few contestants saying

“I don’t have any favourites but god, have you seen the boys? They’re so good.

“Michael Greco I think is lovely, he’s really very lovely. I also have a soft spot for Wendi Peters.”

She added: “When I’m judging I can only be me, I can only be Cilla, I can’t be Mrs Nasty. I’m going to be constructive rather than destructive.

“I have two guys on either side of me. I’ll be having more goes at them than the artists themselves.”

Sounds a bit like Sharon Osbourne then!