Dame Arlene Phillips has finally ‘accepted’ her controversial axing from Strictly Come Dancing as a judge – but has insisted she will never ‘forgive’ BBC bosses.

The choreographer and talent scout, 81, was a member of the inaugural judging panel when the hit dancing show launched in 2004, alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and Len Goodman. 

But in 2009 it was announced that Arlene had been dropped as a judge and was to be replaced with Alesha Dixon. 

This sparked backlash as people accused the BBC of discriminating against older women, something the broadcaster denied.

Speaking to The Mirror of how she feels about the axing 15 years later, Arlene said: ‘Accepted but not forgiven. 

‘Yes, I have moved on. I suppose it is something to rejoice, and I can always remind myself; I was there at the pilot, when nobody ever thought this show was going to be a show.’

Arlene claimed in April that the BBC ‘never apologised’ or gave her a reason for why she was axed from Strictly Come Dancing.

Speaking on Elizabeth Day’s How To Fail podcast, Arlene has now claimed that she was never even given a reason for being ‘uninvited to return’.

During the podcast Arlene also lifted the lid on the format of the dancing show, admitting that the panel were ‘positioned’ as different stereotypes – of which she was encouraged to be the ‘harsh, only allowed to wear black jackets’ judge. 

‘I didn’t leave,’ Arlene said. ‘I was uninvited to return. And I think there’s a big difference. If I had left the show, it would have been my choice. 

‘I actually feel even to this day, I wish it had been discussed. I wish that they had come to me and said, “We’re not going to keep you on”, and what the reasons were, and then I could adjust myself to it.’

Arlene added: ‘Certainly no one’s apologised. We did go for meetings two [maybe] three weeks after, but it was just, “What can we offer you instead?” Nothing, at all about any reason. 

‘The truth is I just don’t think they thought I was good enough. That’s the truth about it. That’s what really hurts because I felt like I was a good judge.’

The former dancer said the most concrete information given that was close to a reason for her axing was that the show was ‘refreshing the brand’. 

Arlene was known for being a particularly tough judge on the show, meaning celebrities really had to work to impress her. 

But she has now revealed that her role as the ‘harsh’ judge was orchestrated, as she was ‘positioned’ as that person from the get go. 

She said: ‘Certainly when Strictly began, I was positioned in this role of being the “Harsh, only allowed to wear black jackets” kind of judge.

‘I pretty much only was allowed to wear black jackets. Yes. I had two posh ones, designer ones, and the rest came from Next or M&S.’

Arlene added: ‘And you’re sort of positioned in this role. And believe me, Judging on Strictly is role playing. It’s role playing for everyone…it always has been.’

MailOnline have reached out to the BBC for comment. 

In March, Arlene slammed the BBC as she revealed that she found out she had been dropped from her role as judge when a journalist called her.

In an interview with the Guardian, Arlene explained she was most angry at the way the BBC handled the axing, explaining how the first she heard about it was when a radio show called her for a comment.   

‘I was a grownup when I did that show, so I resent that the BBC didn’t come to me as soon as they had the thought,’ she said.  ‘More than knocking my confidence, I think it swirled around me, and I thought: “I need to find myself.”

‘I needed all the mental preparation that I could muster to go: “Hang on a minute – you had a big career before this and you’ve got work lined up”.’

Last month, Arlene paid tribute to her friend and fellow Strictly judge Len one year after his death during an appearance on Loose Women.   

Arlene looked back on the ‘crazy times’ the pair shared and said she often listens back to recordings of his voice.

Speaking on Tuesday’s show, Arlene added: ‘The joy in the fact that you can just go to your computer, open it up and you can get all those wonderful… ‘I’m just a dance teacher from Dartford’ or whatever it may be and you can hear them. 

‘So, just hearing his voice brings him back and the crazy times that we shared.’

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Source: Tampa Bay Times