‘It’s difficult to look at my family through a screen’: Strictly’s Arlene Phillips, 76, admits she’s struggling to cope with coronavirus self-isolation
Arlene Phillips has admitted she’s struggling to cope with self-isolating amid the coronavirus pandemic.
During an appearance on Tuesday’s Good Morning Britain via live link, the former Strictly judge, 76, confessed she’s finding it ‘difficult’ being away from her family as she’s forced to communicate with her loved ones ‘through a screen’.
Despite her challenging sacrifice, the media personality stressed the importance of social distancing during the global crisis as she said: ‘I’ve got to do it!’
‘It’s difficult’: Arlene Phillips admitted she’s struggling to cope with self-isolating amid the coronavirus pandemic during an appearance on Tuesday’s Good Morning Britain via live link
Last week, the British government announced people over 70 will need to ‘shield’ themselves from social contact and stay at home for three months to help the fight against COVID-19.
On being kept apart from her nearest and dearest, the choreographer told hosts Piers Morgan and Lorraine Kelly: ‘I have to look at them through a screen and that’s been difficult because I’m quite close to my family.’
The dance specialist also revealed she aims to maintain her youthful-looking figure with home workouts: ‘I keep thinking I need to go for a run around the house but then I think, “oh I can do it tomorrow”, but I need to challenge myself.’
Arlene, who served as a judge on BBC’s Strictly from 2004 until 2009, revealed her fellow dancers have been providing entertainment to fans via social media, as tours have been cancelled due to the coronavirus.
Challenges: The ex-Strictly judge (pictured with Bruno Tonioli, Len Goodman and Craig Revel Horwood in 2010), 76, confessed she’s finding it ‘difficult’ being away from her family
Important mission: Despite her challenging sacrifice, the media personality stressed the importance of social distancing during the global crisis as she said: ‘I’ve got to do it!’
‘I have to look at them through a screen’: The choreographer spoke to hosts Piers Morgan and Lorraine Kelly about being kept apart from her nearest and dearest
The former So You Think You Can Dance panellist shared: ‘The whole of the world of entertainment has shut down.
‘Everything has been stopped, you can’t go out and perform anymore, so everyone I’m close to has put 30-60 seconds videos of their skills that people can just watch from home.
‘We’ve had amazing dancers in the kitchen, or people singing at home isolating and putting on a performance!’
Social distancing, advised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), involves maintaining at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who coughs or sneezes, as the small liquid droplets sprayed could contain the virus.
The measure also includes staying at home if you have a cough or fever even if you have not travelled and ‘cocooning’ elderly people suspected of being more vulnerable to the infection.
On Monday night, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the immediate closure of all non-essential shops and threatened people with fines or even arrest if they do not ‘stay at home’.
The shutdown will last for a minimum of three weeks and the UK’s new state of emergency is unprecedented in modern history.
Gatherings of more than two people will be banned in the most dramatic curbs on freedom ever seen in Britain in time of peace or war, as the government goes all out to stop the spread of the killer disease, which has claimed 335 lives.
‘I need to challenge myself’: The dance specialist also revealed she aims to maintain her youthful-looking figure with home workouts (pictured last month)