No.1 for Interviews - Alesha Dixon
Alesha Dixon

Alesha Dixon: ‘I was Strictly Come Dancing’s scapegoat’
Facing a second stint as a judge on the popular celebrity dance show, Alesha Dixon talks to Nadine Hawkins about love, life and living in the media spotlight

Alesha Dixon is one of the few female celebrities who appeals to both men and women; a sex symbol, yet someone you could easily have a girlie gossip with! But she has had a turbulent time over the last few years, going through a highly publicised divorce and watching the breakdown of her girlband, Mystique. Most recently she hit the headlines when she replaced Strictly Come Dancing Judge Arlene Philips and became  the unwilling scapegoat in the most high-profile ageism debate in the last few decades. Day after day her credentials came under fire in the media and her judging ability was permanently questioned.

Yet despite all of that, Alesha has come back for more – facing her second stint on Strictly as a judge. She has also just released her latest single, Drummer Boy, from her new album of the same name, which has received rave reviews from critics.

No.1’s Nadine Hawkins caught up with Alesha before her show at Hamilton Racecourse to talk men, mutts and media mutiny.

My new album Drummer Boy is completely different to what I have done before. Being compared to stars like Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé is really flattering – in my eyes Beyoncé is the best artist in the world. When I was in Mystique we got compared to Destiny’s Child quite a lot, but I really wanted to make this really distinctive and different and for people to think only, ‘Alesha could do something like that.’

I couldn’t believe I got the opportunity to write with Gary Barlow, he is a genius and one of the best songwriters I have ever worked with. When I was 14 I loved Take That, I was a big fan and I had their posters on my wall.

I was in awe of Gary, I couldn’t believe he was writing with me. To think that he values me as a writer is such a compliment.

I am in touch with everyone who I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with for Sport Relief. Our schedules and diaries make it hard for us to keep in touch, although we do still all text each other now and again.

When I did the climb I shared a tent with Kimberley and Cheryl from Girls Aloud, we all bonded and went through it together, it was torture if I am being honest. It sounds terrible to say that but it was. For me the low point was when we saw someone from the climbing party in front of us being stretchered down the mountain.

With hindsight, it was a rewarding experience though. Gary Barlow said he is going to do something similar in 2012, as long and as there’s not another mountain involved I will be there!

We have an ongoing joke that when I am on tour everyone is Scottish Jamaicans, because everyone I work with is either Scottish or Jamaican! My tour manager is Scottish and so is my Nan, so I really love Scotland! The Scottish audiences stand out when we are touring as they are always up for a laugh!

I have been fortunate that I haven’t had much negative press. In fact in the last 10 years of doing this job the only negative press I have had was in the lead up to being a judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

For 95 per cent of my career the press were lovely about me, even during that difficult time in the week leading up to Strictly a lot of the criticism wasn’t necessarily directed at me, it was aimed at the BBC. Although that said, there was a lot of personal things written about me by older female journalists that were verging on bitchy.

It wasn’t pleasant and I did think it was all rather unnecessary for a television dancing show. People are dying all around the world and yet all over the front page of the newspapers was a story about me being a judge on Strictly. It really was hideous. I was able to rise above it because it doesn’t matter, I was just the scapegoat: that is how the media works if they think there is a story then they will run it.

The thing is I loved being a judge on Strictly and I am so glad that it didn’t dishearten me or spoil the experience. I suppose being judged as a judge was quite funny. The media were clever to make out the public were up in arms when actually it was a really small number of people who complained. And it was the press who made it a big story, they blew it out of proportion.

It is important to rise above negativity. When you have been in the industry as long as I have you know how things work. It wasn’t a pleasant experience but I would never have quit or let it dishearten me too much. I am really looking forward to going back on the show this year.

I am lucky in that I go to work and there is a team of people on hand to help me look good. On a day to day basis I am in trackies with no make up. I don’t worry about being glam. Although I think that some celebrities feel they need to be dressed up all the time – rocking up to airports like they are getting on a catwalk! I would rather wear a tracksuit and be comfy. I do take advantage when I get the glam squad, that’s what I call them, and I can try all these different outfits and hairstyles. I enjoy it but I treat it like a uniform, for me I associate being glammed up with going to work. Plus, I have three dogs and I can’t wear anything nice at home they just ruin it! None of my dogs are very posh, I have a Collie called Roxy, a Pointer called Daisy and a Cocker Spaniel called Rosie, she’s absolutely gorgeous. Even my smallest dog isn’t posh – she just gets stuck in and jumps in the lake or bounces into the mud! Love me, love my dogs!

I am open to meeting someone just now. I am busy and people always say ‘you don’t have time for a man, I bet.’ I am busy but if I met someone really special I would make the time. But I just haven’t met anyone who is worth committing to a serious relationship. I have dated over the last few years and it has been a lot of fun but I am happy being single until Mr Right comes along, if there is such a thing!

I think the experiences you have in life shapes you as a person. When I was a young girl I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth, times were tough and life was hard sometimes and it is that which prepared me to keep moving forward and to keep fighting for success.

I really believe that there isn’t anything you can’t work through in life if you want to. A challenge is basically a test of character.

Then I go through hard times I accept that they happen for a reason. Life is tough for a lot of people and you just have to accept that sometimes it can be really hard – it is how you handle those challenges that makes you into the person you are.

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