Arlene Phillips

TV personality and dancing legend, Arlene Phillips OBE has worked on Strictly Come Dancing, the films Monty Python's Meaning of Life, Legend and pop promos for Elton John and Duran Duran. She has also choreographed Flashdance: The Musical.

WHAT DO YOU DRIVE?
I drive a Suzuki Swift, because it's small, it's neat, you can park in the tiniest of spaces and it gets me into the West End and back without being too obvious.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
A Fiat 500, a little white one.

WHAT WAS YOUR BEST/WORST CAR?
Probably my best car was when I changed my Fiat 500 for a little old Mini, I loved the style of it. It seemed to be such a happening car.

I keep saying: 'One day I'll buy myself a Mini'. Although I don't I'm desperate, desperate, desperate for a really small car that works in the same way that a petrol car does, but it's Congestion Charge free and that doesn't quite seem to have gone to the market yet.

The worst was the family car, which was an Audi Estate. We didn't realise that it couldn't drive through puddles. We were driving through a puddle that was rather deep and it completely flooded with water. We couldn't open the doors to get out. That was an absolute disaster.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM CAR?
I probably would have a Mini again with all the bells and whistles and an electric roof. It would have to be very simple, all black inside and out and look super, super glamorous.

I have no interest in fast cars. When I look at cars where people spend the same amount you would on a house, it seems to me an extravagance too far and it doesn't interest me whatsoever.

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A GOOD DRIVER?
I do. I'm a very concentrated driver and a very careful driver, though my daughters would probably say: "Mum, you're dreaming."

WHAT DO YOU ALWAYS KEEP IN YOUR GLOVEBOX?
Change for places that still have meters; a lipstick, and eye pencil in a little bag in case of emergencies.

WHAT DRIVES YOU MAD BEHIND THE WHEEL?
If you're driving and want to move out, drivers that will not let you in for love or money.

WHAT'S THE BEST MUSIC TO DRIVE TO?
I don't listen to music in the car. I know the instant I put music on I will start to think about what I can choreograph to that piece of music and lose my concentration. I listen to Radio 4.

The strangest thing is if I'm driving home late at night from rehearsals or from a show or something, or I'm driving particularly early in the morning, the first thing I have to do is put the radio on. I don't want to be alone in the car.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A CRASH
No, but my partner has. I would absolutely hate to.

WHO WOULD BE YOUR PERFECT PASSENGER?
My youngest daughter Abi, because she puts her iPod on in the car and is quite content to not chat all the time, whereas my oldest daughter wants to chat and talk constantly; I think I'm going to lose my concentration because I'm going to carry on chatting to her.

WHAT'S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU'VE EVER DONE IN A CAR?
I was with my sister and a friend invited us to Bournemouth. I drove overnight from Manchester to Bournemouth having had no sleep because we wanted to arrive early in the morning. It was completely and utterly reckless in this little Mini. It was not the safest thing to have done.

WHO CLEANS YOUR CAR, AND HOW OFTEN?
My partner Angus cleans the car, but not as often as it should be cleaned. That's through my choice.

View more images of Arlene Phillips on Bing

British stars and their cars
Celebrity motoring mishaps
Hollywood stars and their cars

Join In.
Join MSN Cars on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter