Arlene Phillips

Dance doyenne, Arlene, 74, is starring in her own show, Arlene! The Glitz,

The Glamour, The Gossip. She has two grown-up daughters and lives in London with her partner, Angus Ion.

It’s a very full life, Arlene!

How are you going to cover everything in one show?

Sensibly, I’ve asked my friend and fellow dancer Jackie Storey to sit on stage with me and ask me the questions. She covers everything from growing up near Manchester, right through to the world of music and dance. I talk about the early days, setting up Hot Gossip, the stars I’ve worked with (including Elton John and Whitney Houston), the musicals I’ve choreographed (including The Sound Of Music and

Starlight Express), the battles, the joys, the triumphs and the disasters.

No show would be complete without talking about Strictly Come Dancing. Do you discuss what happened when they replaced you?

I talk about being on Strictly… and being off Strictly and the way I felt about it. It was a bad time for me, in general; my beloved manager passed away just before it happened. I just went, ‘Okay. Put on the blinkers and go forward!’

Any tips for Strictly’s new head judge, who’s also an older woman?

Older woman? I don’t think so! Shirley Ballas is 56, which isn’t that old as far as I’m concerned. How old was Len Goodman? (Answer: 73!) Either way, she’s a professional who knows what she’s doing. She’ll be fabulous.

You had a reputation on Strictly

for being a straight talker. Was that the real you or was it all just an act?

Not an act, because it did show the real side of me that can be very demanding and strict if I think it will help someone improve their performance. I’ve been called The Queen of Mean as a result, but in truth, there’s another side to me that is very loving, giving and maternal. And hopefully, that will come through in the stage show, too.

I’m sure your daughters, Alana,

37, and Abi, 26, have been on the receiving end of the softer side?

I certainly like to think so. What I will say is that, of all the things I’ve achieved in my life, having my girls is the absolute pinnacle. I adore them and I think they know how much.

Was it tough to combine a career in dance with being a mum?

It wasn’t always easy. But, although working mothers are maligned, I do believe that’s it possible to do both and still be a good mother. I’m proud of the way I brought up my girls.

Your mum died from leukaemia when you were just 15 – it must have had a deep impact on you.

It did. It was awful, at that age, to lose the person who could wrap her arms around me and make the worries of the world disappear. I think it’s why I’m forever hugging my own daughters, and possibly why I’m often the person people come to for advice. When you lose that nurture early on, somehow, you develop it in yourself.

It’s sad that your mum didn’t live long enough to witness your success. What do you think she’d have enjoyed the most?

She’d have loved all of it, but

I would especially have loved for both my mum and dad to be with me when I picked up my CBE in 2013. I can’t imagine what they’d have thought of me being presented with the award by the Queen!

• Arlene! The Glitz, The Glamour, The Gossip is touring the UK until November. See emmabrunjesproductions.com.