Arlene Phillips at 72: I’m still working ...I have the energy of a 23-year-old

The choreographer said people expect women to retire when they reach a certain age
Ageism: Arlene Phillips is not ready to retire
Dave Benett
The Weekender

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and theatre ticket deals

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Arlene Phillips has hit out at expectations that women should retire when they reach a certain age — and says she has no intention of doing so.

The choreographer and presenter, who is 73 next month, found herself at the centre of an ageism row in 2009 when she was axed from Strictly Come Dancing and replaced with Alesha Dixon, then 30.

Seven years on, the choreographer and television presenter has no plans to slow down, saying she still feels like a 23-year-old.

Phillips, pictured, told the Standard that she hopes her work ethic will inspire the older generation, saying: “People are so much more surprised that a woman is still working — more so than a man. That doesn’t change.

Latest theatre reviews

1/50

“I think there is a general feeling that women should retire — that they have done their bit and they should move on. For everyone, there needs to be the time when you step out and give those opportunities to younger people, who are coming up, of course. But the word retirement does not signify that you need to sit down and give up.” Phillips has been working on Jackie The Musical, inspired by the Seventies magazine, and with the Candoco Dance Company, which works with both disabled and non-disabled dancers.

“I am working all the time,” she said. “Knocking on the door of 73 and I am still working — like a 23-year-old. I know chronologically my age creeps up, [but] inside I still have the energy I always had. I pick and choose what I do. I want this year maybe to take a bit more time off — I never take time off. It’s very boring for my partner and my family. They would love me to stop and be around. I keep saying — maybe I will do that [work less] this year. But at the moment I have so much coming up I am not sure I will. I don’t chill ever ever ever. I don’t sit down. It’s not good, but it is what I do.”

Phillips was speaking as the face of Homeopathy Awareness Week, which ends tomorrow. She said: “I can only say the actual things that have worked for me. Of course it [homeopathy] is massively controversial and scientifically there appear not to be any benefits. But I’m just talking about my experiences and the things that I trust.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT