Arlene Phillips (SM)
Strictly Come Dancing judge, Arlene Phillips, 64, on growing old gracefully, her teen daughter keeping her young, and going under the knife.
Like all good showbiz luvvies, for a long time Arlene Phillips refused to tell the world her age. And if we’d guessed, we’d have said the frank Strictly Come Dancing judge couldn’t be a day over 50. So when we discovered she was 64, and old enough to be queueing up for her pension, we fell off our stools. And thus, it was decided. Arlene had to be the cover star of our issue celebrating fabulous over 40-somethings, what with her being two decades beyond that and having very much ‘still got it’.
‘Oh God, I’d rather people didn’t know my real age. It took me a long time to decide to reveal it,’ Arlene admits. ‘I’d love to be 20 years younger. I can’t believe I’m 64, it’s a shock. I don’t feel it in my head. And what does 64 look like, anyway?’
As a rule, not much like Arlene Phillips. She has killer pins most women half her age can only dream of, and a face that features fewer lines than a Mr Bean movie. Not that she thinks so. ‘Being on TV has made me 100% more self-conscious. It really brought home my age, and I worry all the time about every line and wrinkle,’ she says. ‘The only place that’s amazing is around my eyes, I’ve never had any wrinkles there. Lots of my younger friends have, but never me. I’ve been lucky with my genes, I guess.’
Such is Arlene’s TV paranoia that she’s planning to go under the knife in the not-too-distant future. ‘I’m absolutely 100% ready to go and get myself fixed up. I’m checking out doctors now to get my neck and chin done. It’s scary, because I have a low pain threshold,’ she says. ‘And I never want to end up with that big old stretched look where I resemble a piece of plastic.’
Of course, being fabulous isn’t just about looking young, it’s about feeling young too. ‘Everyone in my family has a young outlook,’ says Arlene. ‘And my daughters keep me young, especially being the mother of a teenager.’
Indeed, at 48, when most women are contending with hot flushes and HRT, Arlene was producing her second child, Abi, who’s 16 (her elder daughter Alana is 28). ‘They keep me savvy, but, still being so young, Abi has me worried too, and that definitely keeps my energy up.’
Have the girls helped turn Arlene into a yummy mummy? ‘They keep me updated clothes and make-up wise, and with the music they love. Although Abi is into lots of music that takes me back, not forward, like Nick Drake and Eric Clapton.’ So we’re not likely to see Arlene moshing at a Kaiser Chiefs gig anytime soon? ‘Maybe there’ll be a trip to see the Arctic Monkeys coming up.’ That we’d like to see…
Arlene’s youthful mentality has seen her snag a younger man – her partner of 20 years, Angus Ion, is a mere 53. ‘We are a match. I’ve never felt older than him. I think that’s because, in my head, I haven’t computed the age I am. At 64, you’re meant to be be the little old lady – I’m not.’
But Arlene isn’t in danger of retiring to a life of blue rinses and zimmer frames just yet. She still has the kind of work load most of us would keel over at the mere thought of. Having not long finished her stint on Saturday night dancing competition Dance X, Arlene is about to return to our screens as a judge on the next series of the show that made her a TV star – the, erm, Saturday night dancing competition Strictly Come Dancing, which starts on 6 October. On top of this, she’s still been doing what she did way before this fame lark happened – choreographing West End shows. Recently she’s been at the helm of both The Sound of Music and the BRATZ musical for kids. ‘I’ve just had the busiest summer of my life. We have a cottage in Herefordshire and I’ve been working from there, then commuting to London for Dance X,’ she says. ‘My life is as busy as it was 20 years ago – that hasn’t changed, so I haven’t changed. And having the type of job where I work with lots of young people helps keep me young too, especially as there are plenty of hot men gyrating for me!’
So how is Arlene on the dancefloor these days? ‘I’m not as fit as I was. It depends what job I have to do – The Sound Of Music didn’t have too much choreography in it, but then the BRATZ show was a lot of dancing. I don’t have to keep having a sit down, but I do need more sleep. I used to exist on four hours sleep. Now, I really need my eight hours.’
Has she, we wonder, ever had anything approaching a mid-life crisis? ‘I don’t think so, but I almost had a late-life crisis a few years ago before I started on Strictly Come Dancing. I was travelling an awful lot, working between America and England. I took every job I was offered and I hate flying. But then Strictly happened and, for three months of the year, I had to be here, so I started saying “no” to work. If that hadn’t happened I would have got into a complete panic. So Strictly saved me.’
Arlene says one of the best things about being in her 60s is the contentment she feels. ‘I’m a happier person. I’ve had so much, and now I’m not driven in the same way. I’m able to accept lows as part of my life because there are things you can’t change. Life is partly what you make it and partly fate. There’ll be things that bring you so much joy and others that don’t.’
If Arlene could return to her younger self, would she? ‘I always think I should have stayed at home for longer when my children were born. But we’re very close, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve struggled and lived without any money, but everything I’ve done and been through has made me who I am today.’
Arlene on the return of Strictly Come Dancing…
‘I absolutely love it, I can’t wait. It’s the highlight of my year. My dream list of celebrities are David Tennant, because he’s absolutely gorgeous; Jonathan Ross, because he needs putting in his place; and Jordan, because it’d be interesting to watch – no one would be able to get close to her, would they? A little Prince or two would be nice too, and if Princess Diana were alive today, she’d have been doing Strictly Come Dancing for sure.’
ARLENE‘S TOP TIPS FOR NOT LOOKING (OR FEELING) YOUR AGE…
‘Keep your mind active and busy, whether it’s reading newspapers, doing a crossword, whatever. I’m going to get myself one of those mind gyms.’
‘Make sure you always have healthy snacks with you to avoid buying junk food when you get hungry. I always take fruit and oat biscuits with me wherever I go. Eating lots of fruit and vegetables makes you feel so alive.’
‘Always get eight hours sleep. It really revitalises you.’
‘Exercise every day, even if it’s just dancing around your living room to the radio for 15 minutes.’
ARLENE‘S BEAUTY TIPS
‘I take collagen capsules every day called Proto-col pills (www.proto-col.co.uk). They’re absolutely fantastic.’
‘I’ve always taken my make-up off with Quickies – they were the forerunner of facewipes, and you can still get them in funny little old chemists. Whenever I find them I buy lots of packets. They’re very gentle on your skin. I fluctuate with what moisturisers I use, and I don’t spend too long rubbing my face. I do it gently, so I don’t pull my skin around. I colour my hair with Aveda products.’
‘Make-up wise, I always use MAC products in the daytime. I use an all-in-one cover-up, their eyebrow pencils and mascaras and finish off with Spice lip liner. Very simple. If I’m doing TV or anything special, it’s all Armani. Their bases are fantastic, they cover everything. I use their eyeshadows and a cream blusher too.’
Arlene’s fashion tips for mature ladies…
I like to wear very simple little dresses with a comfortable pair of trousers underneath. I get mine from Sweaty Betty – they’ve got an elasticated waist and are easy to wear. And my shoes are always from Taryn Rose. Wearing trainers when you’re in your 60s doesn’t seem right, but you can run in these shoes, walk in them, have them on all day. They literally hug your feet and they look great with trousers.’
The perfect diet
‘Last year I had the best year of my life, food wise. I had a healthy diet for the entire year. I ate oat biscuits, chicory, organic chicken, lots of fruit. No butter, no bread, nothing bad, for the whole year. My weight was 8st 4lb. Then at Christmas I thought, “I’ve been so good, I can eat what I want.” So I added a bit of cheese, a few potatoes, some houmous, and I’ve gone on adding. I can be strict and disciplined, but then, once I break it, that’s it. But a week ago I started again. For some people it wouldn’t matter, but for me I can’t add those things, because it shows. You might as well just paste the cheese directly on my thighs.’
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