At 69, has the face of anti-ageism had a little work, Arlene?
IF she wanted to deflect attention from her age, this may not have been the best way to do it. At 69, Arlene Phillips appears to be getting younger.
Two years ago, the choreographer found herself being presented as a symbol of ageism in the TV industry when she was axed from Strictly Come Dancing to make way for the younger and less experienced Alesha Dixon.
In the prime of her career, it appeared, she was regarded as not glamorous or fresh enough for the show.
Perhaps she secretly agreed. Or maybe she just decided that if she couldn’t beat them, she’d try to join them.
Spotted leaving a TV studio last week, Miss Phillips showed off a complexion that looked remarkably smooth and unlined for a woman of her age.
Her cheeks seemed a great deal plumper,
‘Restore volume to the face’
which made her eyes appear a little more narrow. And although she was smiling, her expression seemed almost frozen.
Cosmetic surgery experts seem certain that Miss Phillips has been having a range of anti-ageing treatments.
A spokesman from the Transform Cosmetic Surgery group said: ‘Her forehead is smooth and taut and there are no visible signs of any lines or wrinkles which you’d expect to see in a woman her age. Arlene has a heavy brow which is a sign of persistent Botox use.
‘Her cheeks look very plump, indicating she is probably investing in dermal filler treatments. It’s very common for women of Arlene’s age to use injectable fillers to restore volume to the face and give an overall more youthful appearance.’
Miss Phillips has told how her time on BBC1’s primetime Saturday night show made her paranoid about her appearance. ‘It’s hard being on the show all the time because every time you’re on TV it’s like looking in the mirror and you look for every crease, every line, every drop.’
She first admitted that she had tried several cosmetic procedures in 2009.
‘I’ve had Botox on my forehead, between my eyes and I’ve had a few injections to suck out fat around my chin and in my face,’ she said at the time. ‘But it was very traumatic. I don’t like pain’.
Last year she said she wouldn’t rule out having a facelift, but it would mean taking six weeks off ‘and I haven’t got that sort of time’.
In response to speculation about her latest look, she declined to comment.