Arlene: I’ll give up food if I fail challenges

ARLENE Phillips says she will be strict with herself on the show – but will give away her food if she can’t do the challenges.

At 78, the former Strictly Come Dancing judge will be the show’s oldest-ever contestant, but is unfazed by the prospect.

She said: “I always seem to be the oldest at everything. But whatever I can do, I will try to do. And if I can’t, I’m going to have to say, ‘You know what, guys? I will give up my food for the next two or three days. OK? Just share it out’.”

Arlene reckons she will take on a motherly role on the show and try to keep things in order. “I am obsessively tidy,” she said. “I’m sure I shall be invading everybody’s space trying to tidy up, and I’m sure they’re going to go, ‘Get the hell out of here’.”

She added: “I admire so many people that go on this show. I thought, ‘Well, you’ve not had a spider crawl over your hand. Why not?’”