EX Strictly judge Dame Arlene Phillips has slammed dancers complaining about being axed from the show. It comes after BBC1 show’s backstage bloodbath, which has seen five long-running pro dancers axed from the line-up.
Choreographer Arlene, 82, who was who was controversially replaced by 30-year-old Alesha Dixon in 2009, said: “Nothing in life is forever. No-one promises you its forever. Be ready. You have to be steely in this business. There is a lot of rejection. Live with rejection.
“Dancing takes its toll on your body. You have to be given time to restore your body. It’s tough.”
Arlene revealed she warns all of her students about choosing it as a career.
Speaking at the Kinky Boots the Musical gala last Sunday, she said: “Dancing is a really tough career and you have to be ready for it.
Read more on Strictly
“I advise all students who want to go into this business, ‘If you can’t take rejection don’t bother.
“And never rely that something is forever because it won’t be. Take a hard line looking at what you might go through.
“As celebrated as you can be on a show like Strictly it will be over. You’ve had your flash moment. Don’t depend on it. Stay yourself.’
She added: “I have no interest who is going to host Strictly. It should be someone who is young, gay and fabulous.
Last weekend former pro dancer Michelle Tsiakkas compared her sacking to grief.
Michelle joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, alongside Carlos Gu, Vito Coppola, both 33, and Lauren Oakley, 35 — who have all remained safely on the cast.
But the Cypriot-born star has been left heartbroken after she was fired alongside Karen Hauer, 43, Nadiya Bychkova and Luba Mushtuk, both 36, and Gorka Marquez, 35.
Michelle, who revealed to The Sun On Sunday that she “wasn’t given a reason for being axed”, then penned a new emotional statement about leaving Strictly, which read: “Hi everyone, I wanted to share an update with you. I won’t be returning to Strictly this year.
“This has been an emotional time for me because Strictly has been a big part of my life, not just over the past 4 years but for as long as I can remember. It’s a show that I’ll always hold close to my heart.
“I want to thank the team for being supportive during this period, offering help and giving me the time and space to talk things through and process the news.”
Continuing, the heartbroken dancer wrote: “Of course, as professionals on the show we can never assume our places are guaranteed, but I hoped to have more time.
“I wish I could have shown you more of what I can do, but I’m grateful for every experience and every chance I had to share my passion and connect with the audience.
“l’ve also had to make the very hard decision to pull out from the Pro Tour in May. I was really looking forward to performing for you all and sharing the stage with my friends, but I know that right now I wouldn’t have been able to give you my very best, and you deserve the best.
“After reflection, I believe this was the best decision for me, and your understanding and support have meant a lot..”
Michelle’s statement came after she opened up to The Sun about her brutal axing.
Revealing her pain, the emotional star told us: “It felt like my world was falling apart, my dream was shattered. I gave my everything to the show for the four years — it was my whole life.”
Michelle, who was paired with scandal-hit Jamie Borthwick in 2024, told us how she is reeling from the blow of being dropped after having a 30-minute online Zoom meeting with executive producer Sarah James just weeks ago to discuss her contract.
The star said: “I didn’t see it coming. I thought I had more time. When she told me I wasn’t coming back, there was a moment of shock. I felt my story was unfinished.
“It felt out of the blue. It was very tough. I was heartbroken. I went through so many emotions. I gave my life to Strictly.
“It’s like grief. There are many stages to it, many emotions — sadness, confusion and frustration.
RECOMMENDED STORIES
“Everything I have known for the past four years has gone. Your brain goes through change and panic. It was so sudden, I had a feeling of hopelessness.”
You can read Michelle’s full exclusive interview with The Sun On Sunday right here.
In a shocking twist that left fans stunned, the complicated relationship between Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek takes another dramatic turn — this time with unexpected pregnancy news that changes everything.
It all begins after an emotional and intimate moment between the two. What seemed like a fleeting connection quickly turns into something far more serious when Burgess discovers she’s pregnant — and Ruzek is the father.
The news hits hard. Not just for Ruzek, but for Burgess herself, who finds herself completely overwhelmed by the reality of the situation.
With a dangerous job, an unstable life, and a relationship still full of unresolved tension, Burgess is forced to face the hardest question of her life:
Should she keep the baby… or let it go?
At first, she hesitates. The timing feels wrong, the risks feel too high. Ruzek, equally shaken, struggles to process it all — but makes one thing clear: he will stand by her, no matter what she decides.
The pressure builds as both of them realize that this isn’t just about love anymore — it’s about responsibility, fear, and the unknown future ahead.
After a deeply emotional case, Burgess begins to see things differently. The idea of becoming a mother slowly starts to feel right. Against all odds, she decides to keep the baby.
For a brief moment, it seems like hope has returned.
But then… everything falls apart.
During a dangerous mission, Burgess is brutally attacked. The consequences are devastating — she loses the baby before it ever has a chance to be born.
The loss shatters both of them.
In an instant, hope turns into heartbreak, leaving fans completely devastated by one of the most emotional storylines in the series.
The tragedy doesn’t just take the baby — it leaves a deep emotional scar between them. Burgess shuts down, drowning in grief, while Ruzek is left feeling helpless and broken.
And yet, somehow, this shared pain begins to pull them back toward each other.