Arlene snipes at 'play school' Widdecombe

[dutchman]

Arlene Phillips has criticised Ann Widdecombe for her 'flying' routine on Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing.



The former judge said that the use of props in the current run of the BBC One dance show was undermining its credibility and said that Widdecombe's high wire intro at the weekend was giving her an unfair advantage over her rivals.

Speaking to The Sun, she said: "All rules are out the window. It looks like Strictly Come Play School. They could tumble in, enter on a helicopter. I'm sure the audience will love it. Dance lovers may feel differently.

"To fly in and take up a great deal of music prior to getting into hold takes the pressure off her. It's one rule for her and another rule for the others."

Widdecombe scored 21 points for her tango on Saturday, but was compared to a "dancing hippo" by judge Craig Revel Horwood.

Phillips's favourite routine of the night was Matt Baker and Aliona Vilani's Charleston, claiming that the ex-Blue Peter presenter looked "close to a professional" with his performance. "He has rhythm from the top of his head down to his twinkling little toes," she added.