She’s on board.
Arlene Phillips will be replacing John Barrowman as a judge on this year’s Dancing on Ice.
Known for her huge dancing career, Arlene’s judging credentials line up as she was on the Strictly panel from its start in 2004 before she left in 2009.
An insider confirmed to The Sun that Arlene would be brought on board to the ITV series, claiming the choreographer’s experience is set to be a “huge asset” for ITV bosses.
John was axed from the series after allegations emerged that he would expose himself on the set of the BBC series Doctor Who during his stint on the show.
The 78 year old will be joining Ashley Banjo, 32, and skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, both 63.
A TV insider told The Sun: “The fact that Arlene is a mature woman with decades of experience in the dance world is seen as a huge asset for Dancing on Ice.
“In contrast to what people see as her harsh treatment by Strictly, ITV bosses see her seniority as a brilliant way to create a diverse panel of experts on the show.
“It means the DOI judges are now made of two men and two women spanning an extensive age range.”
It is believed that Arlene has been discussing the role with ITV for the last few days and while it is not officially set in stone, it’s highly likely she’ll sign on board.
While she may have gotten the boot on Strictly, it didn’t stop Arlene from continuing her career in the dancing world, becoming a Dame earlier this year and saying: “I haven’t even thought about slowing down.
“I feel so completely accepted that my age doesn’t stand before me.”
