She will be replaced on the panel by former winner Alesha Dixon when the show returns later this year, reports The Sun.
The choreographer has been with the show since it launched back in 2004, however, it’s believed she has been given the boot in a bid to attract a younger audience to the series.
A strictly insider told the paper: “It’s nothing personal against Arlene – she’s been brilliant. But the bosses want to bring in younger viewers – the 16 to 34-year-olds that X Factor mops up.”
Although Alesha is yet to sign up for the series, the show’s producers believe she is the perfect replacement for Arlene and will boost ratings in the same way that Cheryl Cole did for their ITV rivals.
The news comes just days after The X Factor revealed that it is revamping the new series by holding the auditions in front of a live audience and moving the results show to a Sunday night.
The changes put even more pressure on Strictly to attract younger viewers – particularly when the two shows go head to head.
A BBC spokesman said: “We can’t confirm anything about the new series of Strictly yet, but we are always looking at ways to maximise viewers’ enjoyment of our shows.”
What do you think of the decision to sack Arlene? Would you like to see Alesha replace her on the show? Let us know what you think…
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