Dame Arlene Phillips appeared on Loose Women on Tuesday, May 23, to celebrate her 80th birthday and to discuss the sweet gesture she is doing to celebrate the life of her friend and former Strictly judge Len Goodman.
In conjunction with National Celebration Day, which takes place on Sunday, May 28, Arlene revealed her plans to plant and subsequently grow a tree in memory of Len, who passed away on April 22. The purpose of Celebration Day, as stated on its website, is "to create a shared experience around loss that can help us come together in joy".
This celebration of those who have been lost could be a simple moment of reflection or an activity from which comes a product to enjoy - ideas on the website are painting a portrait, cooking and sharing a staple recipe or planting a tree. The latter is what Arlene is doing in conjunction with The National Trust, who are creating a new woodland for Celebration Day "as a long-lasting legacy for those loved and lost". For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
Explaining this to the Loose Women panellists, which included Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan, Linda Robson and Gloria Hunniford, Arlene - who had her 80th birthday on Monday, May 22 - said: "It is about growing trees for someone you want to hold the memory for. I think it is the most amazing idea because trees are life. Trees have spirit. Trees go on living. There's nothing like being in a forest. And so everyone can be involved in building this forest on the National Trust build a forest, and I'm going to celebrate Len Goodman."
She added: "Because, the two things: I found out early in the morning that Len had passed away; and that day I happened to get a message asking would I be involved in this Celebration Day. So that moment felt like the two were together on purpose. So, it's now made me think about how many people I want to help build a forest for. With the memory. And helping the planet. So beautiful. Think about it, they go on forever. And as they grow tall and their spirits reach the sky and the heaven. It's just something beautiful."
Len Goodman appeared on Strictly Come Dancing as head judge between 2004 and 2016 died of cancer at the age of just 78. Read more on that here.
Earlier in the interview, Dame Arlene reflected on turning 80 and how she doesn't plan on stopping any time soon - although, on the morning of her birthday, she had a very sombre and shocking thought regarding the future.
Currently in the process of choreographing hit musicals Grease and Guys & Dolls, the producer, dancer and judge said: "The most extraordinary thing happened. Everybody talks about my age. It doesn't matter how old you are, it's what you feel inside. I woke up on my 80th birthday, virtually in shock. Because all I could think about was 'actually, 80, it's getting close to not being here.' Something happened where I went: 'Okay, you've got to breathe and plan what you want to do.'
"I've never thought about that. I'm going to go on working, as long as I've got time with my grandchildren, be a proper grandmother... but actually, you know you have a finite time. And I've never thought about it before. I just felt like I was going to bound on forever."
She added how, once you hit a new decade in your life, there "definitely a different feel". To find out more about Celebration Day, see here.
Loose Women airs on ITV1 at 12:30pm on weekdays.
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