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Arlene Phillips

Choreographer Arlene Phillips revisits the house where she created outrageous 80's dance group Hot Gossip and reveals how in her 20's she was a babysitter for famous movie director Ridley Scott's young son. Arlene Phillips is perhaps best known in her role as one of the original judges on Strictly Come Dancing, but she's had an illustrious career in dance spanning more than 50 years. She was born in Stockport in 1943 and although she dreamt of coming to London and becoming a dancer her dream ended when her mother died and she had to stay at home and look after her dad and 13 year old sister. However in 1966 aged 23 she had the chance to attend a week-long dance course in London's Covent Garden. By the end of that week her life changed forever. She was offered a scholarship by the legendary dance teacher Molly Molloy and Arlene remembers ‘That was it. I never went home. I stayed in London and I don't know how I did because I had not a penny in my purse.' Molly found Arlene a job as babysitter and nanny to a friend of hers, a young television and commercials director Ridley Scott, who would later become the top Hollywood director. This pretty house in South-West London is the first house Arlene revisits. She recalls ‘this was the kind of house that I aspired to. It was all white when people didn't have all white'. It was a far cry from the flat she grew up in above her father's barbershop. It was Ridley Scott who would later give Arlene one of her first big professional breaks. Molly choreographed for his commercials, and Arlene became her assistant. One day when Molly was away Ridley asked Arlene to step up, and she began choreographing big budget commercials. Her next revisit is to the flat she and Molly shared in East Finchley. She remembers before stepping back through the front door ‘the thing I disliked most about this flat is the wallpaper was bright orange' she is almost speechless when she discovers 50 years later the walls are still painted

English
  • Originally Aired October 3, 2016
  • Runtime 30 minutes
  • Network ITV1
  • Notes Is the series finale
  • Created October 3, 2016 by
    Administrator admin
  • Modified October 3, 2016 by
    Administrator admin