Arlene Phillips felt "gobsmacked" after being awarded a damehood.
Dame Arlene Phillips
The 78-year-old choreographer - who rose to mainstream fame as a judge on 'Strictly Come Dancing' - has revealed she was blown away when she realised she'd been offered the prestigious accolade.
Arlene told Sky News: "I actually heard about it from a letter that I received and the letter was handed to me by my PA, who asked if she could come and see me ... I had no idea why.
"I said, 'Well, if you're going to come over, you can stay for dinner.' Then, the news was broken and I saw it in writing and I was gobsmacked - I couldn't believe it."
Arlene was awarded the damehood for her services to dance and charity.
The choreographer left 'Strictly' more than a decade ago and she recently admitted she should've demanded more answers from the show's bosses about the decision to axe her.
Arlene's exit sparked accusations of ageism and sexism - which the BBC denied - and she looks back on the situation with some regrets.
She said earlier this year: "As a woman I should've thought about it. I should've demanded why the woman had gone, and three men remain.
"I should have asked them to analyse it. I should have had the strength to at least ask for reasons and if not getting the reasons, a damn well apology.
"But I didn't have the strength, I didn't have the will. I was pathetic."
Arlene also confessed to being in a "very very bad place" after leaving the show.
She explained: "I was being hit by grief. Having no agent or manager to deal with the fall out from 'Strictly', having not been told about it. I didn't realise for myself just quite how damaged I was."
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