0:00:02 > 0:00:05Childhood holidays... Oh-ho! The anticipation seemed endless.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08The holiday itself... Well, it was over too quickly.
0:00:08 > 0:00:09So, in this series,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I'm going to be reliving those wonderful times
0:00:12 > 0:00:14with some much-loved famous faces.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17THEY SCREAM
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Every day, I'll be arranging a few surprises
0:00:20 > 0:00:22to transport them back in time.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26Oh, look! It's just as I remember.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29We'll relive the fun...
0:00:29 > 0:00:31THEY LAUGH
0:00:31 > 0:00:32..the games...
0:00:32 > 0:00:34- BOTH: Yes!- We got it!
0:00:34 > 0:00:37..and the food of years gone by.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38Yummy!
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Welcome to 1959.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44- Total happiness.- Yes, perfect.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47..to find out how those holidays around the UK
0:00:47 > 0:00:50helped shape the people we know so well today.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Bruce Forsyth.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54His mother said, "You're still my favourite."
0:00:54 > 0:00:57So, buckle up for Holiday Of My Lifetime.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00You know, Len, I'm quite enjoying being on my holidays with you.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05If this vintage car had seat belts,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I'd be strapping myself in for another holiday adventure.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10But don't worry, I'll drive safely, kids
0:01:10 > 0:01:14and today's guest has asked me to pick her up at Southport station.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19I'm on my way to meet a lady, who just like me,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22knows all about fancy footwork.
0:01:22 > 0:01:28She was born in Prestwich, Lancashire in 1943.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Here she is as a baby. Look at those feet!
0:01:31 > 0:01:33They were made for dancing.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37After heading for the bright lights of London in the '70s,
0:01:37 > 0:01:39she formed her own dance troupe
0:01:39 > 0:01:42and she lost her heart to a starship trooper.
0:01:42 > 0:01:43Oh, bless her!
0:01:43 > 0:01:46In the 1980s, she was the queen of choreography
0:01:46 > 0:01:49when she worked with pop royalty
0:01:49 > 0:01:53like Freddie Mercury, Elton John, George Michael!
0:01:53 > 0:01:56(Oh, yes!) Her moves have been seen on stage and screen.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59And I tell you what, she might have done a few high kicks herself
0:01:59 > 0:02:05when she was awarded an OBE in 2001 for her services to dance.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08You're getting it now, aren't you? You know who's coming.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13And strictly speaking, she's never one to mince her words,
0:02:13 > 0:02:15but who am I to judge?
0:02:15 > 0:02:17You got it yet? Of course, you have.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22It's my dear friend and world-renown director and choreographer,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26the fabulous Arlene Phillips.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Oh! Arlene, I'm turning left to meet you!
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Lancashire lass Arlene was born in 1943
0:02:36 > 0:02:40to mum Rita and dad Abraham, who worked as a barber.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44She grew up with her older brother, Ian and younger sister, Karen.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46In the early part of the 70's,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49she headed for the bright lights of London
0:02:49 > 0:02:52where she began developing her own style of jazz dancing,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54which she taught
0:02:54 > 0:02:57in some of the capital's most prominent dance studios.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Since then, Arlene has spent the last 40 odd years
0:03:00 > 0:03:03as an internationally-renowned choreographer.
0:03:03 > 0:03:04Going to run in a circle.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Got to jump at the end, ready the right leg. Right, two, three.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09- OK!- One, two, three, kick.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14She's worked on West End and Broadway musicals, pop videos,
0:03:14 > 0:03:15live productions and films.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19She used her expertise to judge various dance shows,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23but she is probably best known as one of the original judges
0:03:23 > 0:03:26on Strictly Come Dancing.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28The glamour of Hollywood was brought to our floor.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31What an opening for Strictly Come Dancing!
0:03:33 > 0:03:34I'm on my way to pick Arlene up
0:03:34 > 0:03:38from Southport train station in this vintage Hillman Motor,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40which is what would have happened
0:03:40 > 0:03:46at the beginning of her family holiday all those years ago.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49CAR HORN HONKS
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Ha-ha!
0:03:51 > 0:03:55- Hello!- Arlene! Wait a minute, I'm getting out.- OK.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58- Give us a...give us a cuddle.- Oh...
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- We are a couple of swells.- How are you?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03- We go to all of the best places. - Of course, we do!
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- Well, do you...do you recognise this?- I do recognise this.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Oh. My. Goodness.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11So, where are we off to?
0:04:11 > 0:04:14- Well, we are going to Churchtown. - Churchtown?
0:04:14 > 0:04:17- Have you ever heard of Churchtown? - No, never heard of it.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19- Well, I can tell you an awful lot about it, Len.- Right.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23- I can teach you something.- Ooh! And what year is it?
0:04:23 > 0:04:251954.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29'50... Elvis Presley released his first single.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30# Da-da! #
0:04:30 > 0:04:33A little less conversation, a bit more action.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37- So, let's get in the car.- Yeah. OK. - And off we go to Churchtown.- Yes.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41- Now...- Yeah?- Let me warn you.- Yeah? - No seat belt back in '54.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43- And it's legal!- And it's legal.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49- And it only takes me 10 minutes to get my legs in.- Bum first.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- Yeah, bum, then...- Bum first. Shoulders, then your knees.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56- Then drag the other leg in. - Aha! I'm in.- Oh, perfect.- Wa-ho!
0:04:58 > 0:05:00On the northwest coast of England,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03north of Liverpool and south of Blackpool lies Southport.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08And the suburb of Churchtown is just a 5-minute drive northeast
0:05:08 > 0:05:10from the centre.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Southport is a Victorian seaside resort,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16which gained a reputation in the 19th century
0:05:16 > 0:05:21for being more refined than its neighbour up the coast, Blackpool.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23With its sprawling beaches, restaurants,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27world-class golf courses, shopping and family attractions,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29it remains popular with 8 million tourists a year.
0:05:29 > 0:05:35Today, I'm taking Arlene back 60 years
0:05:35 > 0:05:39to try and re-live those wonderful seaside memories.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40Enjoy the sights...
0:05:40 > 0:05:44- Who was the first one to spot the sea?- Me!- You, Len Goodman.
0:05:44 > 0:05:45Of course, of course.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46..tastes...
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Feed your face, Philips.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52..and everything Southport has to offer.
0:05:52 > 0:05:58Please, please, please, give me time to raid this shop. I love it!
0:05:58 > 0:06:01And then burning off the calories in style...
0:06:01 > 0:06:04HE HUMS
0:06:04 > 0:06:06..as we lord it up...
0:06:06 > 0:06:11- Lord Len of Dartford.- Thank you. Curtsy, if you will.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16..and see how precious those days spent in Southport really were.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18It's really lovely to come back
0:06:18 > 0:06:21and remember all those happy memories,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24but for me it was also tinged with an awful lot of sadness.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32Before any holiday truly begins,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35first you must set out on a journey.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Whether by plane, train or automobile,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41we've all experienced those hours of anticipation,
0:06:41 > 0:06:46just waiting to get to the promised destination you've been dreaming of.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50Arlene and her family would have boarded the train in Manchester
0:06:50 > 0:06:53and travelled about 46 miles northwest to be met by her uncle
0:06:53 > 0:06:58from the station before excitedly heading to Churchtown
0:06:58 > 0:07:01to see her cousins.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04What made you come up to Churchtown and Southport?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- Well, my...- Hi, Len!- Ha-ha!
0:07:07 > 0:07:09My mother was the youngest of 11 children
0:07:09 > 0:07:12and the sister that was older than her,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15she got married and moved to Southport.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- And this is where we spent our holidays...- Oh, right.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21At my auntie's house. She was my rich auntie.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Erm, she married a very successful businessman.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Would you have come with your mum and dad and...
0:07:26 > 0:07:28- Did you have brothers and sisters?- Yeah.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32My mother would come with my brother, sister and myself
0:07:32 > 0:07:34and we'd all stay at my auntie's,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37but my dad rarely came.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39He was at home.
0:07:39 > 0:07:40He was working.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44And I remember the sun always shining.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45Well, that's what you think...
0:07:45 > 0:07:48You know, when I was a kid and we had school holiday,
0:07:48 > 0:07:50I could never remember it raining.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54- I can't remember it raining.- No. - It was perfection.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58- Did you play any games sitting in the back?- Oh, we played memory games.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00- Oh, right. So, you had to... - Memory games.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03You'd say, "Apples," and I'd have to say, "Apples and pears."
0:08:03 > 0:08:05And I say, "Apples, pears, bananas."
0:08:05 > 0:08:09And I'd say, "Apples, pears, bananas and an orange."
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Apples, pears, bananas, and orange and plums.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Apples, pears, bananas, plums...
0:08:14 > 0:08:16- Orange and plums.- Oh! See!
0:08:16 > 0:08:19And grapes. And I got very good at the game,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22but in the car, we didn't even have a radio.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26- No. Well, like this car.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29When Arlene arrived in Southport in the summer of 1954,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32she was hoping for excitement.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37Unfortunately, April 11th of that year has been identified
0:08:37 > 0:08:41by experts as the most boring of the 20th century,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44which can't be said for the rest of 1954.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings was first published,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Roger Bannister made a run for it,
0:08:49 > 0:08:53notching up the first sub-four minute mile at Oxford university.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55And talking about good runs,
0:08:55 > 0:09:00Winston Churchill celebrated his 80th birthday whilst in office
0:09:00 > 0:09:03the only British Prime minster ever to do so.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08In the world of music, The King had released his first single,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12but 1954 was all about Doris Day,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16who topped the charts that year with music originally featured
0:09:16 > 0:09:19in the film Calamity Jane. Whoa ho ho!
0:09:19 > 0:09:20# We'll be home tonight by the...
0:09:20 > 0:09:23# Light of the silvery moon
0:09:23 > 0:09:25# And my heart's a-thumping like a mandolin a-plunking a tune.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27# Plucking a tune.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29# When we get home,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31# We're fixing to stay
0:09:31 > 0:09:35# So, whip crack-away, Whip crack-away!, Whip crack-away! #
0:09:35 > 0:09:38We all loved to play The Air Is The Sea. Look!
0:09:38 > 0:09:40- Who was the first one to spot the sea?- Me!
0:09:40 > 0:09:45- You, Len Goodman.- Of course, of course. There it was looking at me.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Before heading to Churchtown, we have a couple of stops to make.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Who can miss an opportunity to get a first glimpse of the sea,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56which in Southport can be a bit of a mission.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Well, Arlene, look at the sea.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03Let me tell you, walking out to the sea...
0:10:03 > 0:10:04- Yeah.- ..it was painful.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07- You thought you would never, ever, ever get there.- Yeah.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09And would you come down here on the beach
0:10:09 > 0:10:11with your buckets and spades and stuff?
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Yeah, we had buckets and spades and a picnic.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17- We always had a picnic. We had cucumber sandwiches.- Nice.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20- And we felt very lucky we had pop, you know?- Yeah.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24You know, Dandelion and Burdock or cream soda.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27- Cream soda was my favourite. - I loved it.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31It'd take you half the day, wouldn't it, to walk down to the sea?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33It's a good walk. You ready?
0:10:33 > 0:10:35- No, I'm not! Ha-ha! - We could stroll, Len.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Yes, ye... Oh, we could dance our way. A couple of quicksteps.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Quickstep and quick sharp as I have a day full of surprises lined up
0:10:43 > 0:10:47and before heading to Arlene's holiday haunt in Churchtown,
0:10:47 > 0:10:51we've time for a quick trip into Southport town centre,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55which in 1954 was the place to be seen.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Gladys Rimmer-Armstrong runs a family history help desk
0:11:05 > 0:11:09in Southport library and knows all about the town's appeal back then.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Southport in the 1950s was the place to be
0:11:12 > 0:11:15because there was everything here for the perfect holiday.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20We had the sun, the sand, the sea, the sea bathing lake,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23the zoo, Pleasureland.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26It had everything for every member of every family.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29But for the fashion-conscious and clothes-caring
0:11:29 > 0:11:33and our 11-year-old Arlene, there was one must-go-to place in town...
0:11:33 > 0:11:35Lord Street.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36When visiting Lord Street,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39you always put on your Sunday best even if it was Saturday
0:11:39 > 0:11:43because you just did not go down Lord Street in your work clothes.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44And if you had children,
0:11:44 > 0:11:48you put their best clothes on and you would just...
0:11:48 > 0:11:51It was more window-shopping than a shopping day.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Which is exactly how Arlene would spend her day.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Now, what was it about Lord Street that was so fantastic for you?
0:12:00 > 0:12:04Well, I think this was a place where people got dressed up
0:12:04 > 0:12:06and strolled and looked in shop windows.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11- Yeah.- And it was very, very stylish.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Yeah, well, there is an elegance about the place.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18I wanted black patent shoes so badly
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and I had to wear my school shoes.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22And I can remember...
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- You know how you walk when you're shy about your feet?- Yeah, yeah.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29You know, I once did a videoshoot with Whitney Houston
0:12:29 > 0:12:32and I choreographed some of her videos.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34In one of them, she said, "I don't like my feet.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36"I've got very large feet."
0:12:36 > 0:12:40And she walked like she was trying to hide her feet and I think back,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44"That was me," because I wanted black patent shoes.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46What would have been the fashions of the day?
0:12:46 > 0:12:49What would've been the sort of outfits you would have seen?
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Well, '50s dresses, you know?
0:12:51 > 0:12:57Sticking outskirts, tight waists and I wanted a net petticoat.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58Oh, yeah!
0:12:58 > 0:13:01All you needed was the petticoat, you could put anything on top.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- And it would make your skirt stick out.- Yeah.
0:13:04 > 0:13:10- And my dream was of red net petticoat.- Wow!
0:13:10 > 0:13:14I think I was thinking cancan even when I was 11 years old.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17But I just thought that would be so wonderful.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21- Well, let me just tell you, there's a shop up this arcade...- Yeah.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25- ..that I would like to just show you. - OK.- So, come with me.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29With the ending of clothes rationing,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33people in the '50s had more freedom over what clothes they wore.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Teenage girls started dressing differently from their mothers,
0:13:37 > 0:13:42preferring bright, patterned dresses with tight waists and wide skirts.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45This style suited rock 'n' roll as the skirt would twirl up
0:13:45 > 0:13:48reflecting the energy of the dance,
0:13:48 > 0:13:54which in 1954 was about to take the UK by storm.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55Now...
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- ..would this have been the '50s... - Oh...
0:14:00 > 0:14:03My... OK.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Please, please, please, give me time to raid this shop.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10I love it! I didn't remember it.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14- Well, they've set this window up just for you.- Really?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16- Yes, really.- Oh!
0:14:16 > 0:14:21- Going back in time.- Yes! - This was the '50s.- Yeah.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24This would've been the dress that I wanted.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Yeah, it's absolutely gorgeous, eh?
0:14:27 > 0:14:30The glamour of Southport struck a chord with our Arlene,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33who a few years later headed to London
0:14:33 > 0:14:36where a fortuitous meeting with the man
0:14:36 > 0:14:39who would become one of Britain's most successful film directors,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42led to her first big break.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47What happened to get you into the world of showbiz?
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Well, I was very lucky.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53I met a wonderful dance teacher called Molly Molloy,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56who was teaching American jazz, and she was a friend of Ridley Scott
0:14:56 > 0:15:01and Ridley Scott asked her does she know anyone
0:15:01 > 0:15:04that could do some baby-sitting and a bit of housekeeping.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07So, I helped Ridley Scott.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10One day, Ridley Scott said, "Well, you dance all the time.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13"I've got a TV commercial I need it choreographed.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15"Can you put it all together?"
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Big success and he asked me to do Dr Pepper.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Massive commercials! And off I was going to America.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24That was over 40 years ago
0:15:24 > 0:15:28and Arlene has been toing and froing across the pond ever since.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Good on her!
0:15:32 > 0:15:34It's not just Lord Street
0:15:34 > 0:15:37that puts Southport on the map as the-place-to-go.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Nowadays, there's plenty to see and do.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45At the north end of Lord street is Hesketh Park,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48the largest park in Southport.
0:15:48 > 0:15:53It features a Victorian glasshouse, ornate fountain and a floral clock.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57It was made by James Ritchie of Edinburgh in 1936.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59It was Ritchie and John McHattie
0:15:59 > 0:16:05who first had the idea of a flowerbed-embedded clock in 1903.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09At the end of the pier is The Pavilion
0:16:09 > 0:16:12where tourists can still spend a penny
0:16:12 > 0:16:14at a penny arcade museum.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16Change your pounds to old pennies
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and use them playing on the old arcade machines.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22You don't even have to walk all the way to the end of the pier
0:16:22 > 0:16:26as there's been a tram here since 1863.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30It used to be a way to get people's luggage to and from the steamers,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33which once called at the end of the pier.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Over the years, it's progressed to the electric passenger tram
0:16:37 > 0:16:40they have today, which runs every day except for Christmas Day.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44And if you don't fancy that, hop onto the Pier Road Train.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Now, it's time for us to make tracks
0:16:48 > 0:16:52as I've lined up a very special place for Arlene to visit...
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Uncle Morris and Auntie Myriam's old house
0:16:55 > 0:16:57where she used to stay.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00- This is where you used to come to your uncle and aunt's.- Absolutely.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- I used to... - And this is it number 13.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06But where's the tree, the tree in the middle of the garden?
0:17:06 > 0:17:10Well, I suppose, you know, it is a few years back since you were here.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14It's a long time. And we would dance round the tree.
0:17:14 > 0:17:15Yeah?
0:17:15 > 0:17:19And how does this house compare to the one that you lived in?
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Well, this is the thing that makes me, kind of, quite emotional
0:17:23 > 0:17:25is that I'm looking at this now
0:17:25 > 0:17:29and it's a nice, little house on a nice, little street.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- I thought it was so posh.- Yeah.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35I thought it was much, much bigger.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39And now I realise that's because my house was so small.
0:17:39 > 0:17:44- It was a little terrace with a stone step and two up, two down...- Yeah.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47And there you are, here. And where was your room?
0:17:47 > 0:17:53I had a little room at the back, which I would share with my cousins.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Oh, right. Yeah. Right, I'll tell you what.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Let's go in and try and find it.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01- Are you serious?- Yes. - I can't believe it.- Yeah.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Six decades after an 11-year-old Arlene holidayed here,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09I'm unlocking the memories of her time in this house.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Enter.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- Uncle Morris.- Oh, my God.
0:18:13 > 0:18:14Eh.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18What do you think?
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Erm, it's so funny coming back and seeing all of this
0:18:21 > 0:18:25because where I actually lived as a child doesn't exist anymore.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28The entire area was flattened,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31so coming back here and seeing this
0:18:31 > 0:18:33and kind of going back to my childhood
0:18:33 > 0:18:36and reminding myself what it was like.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39- It's really touching. - Yeah, I bet it is.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41It's fantastic.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- It's a proper...proper posh house. - Yeah.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Well, I think... Shall we go up the stairs?
0:18:46 > 0:18:48We'll try and find your bedroom.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- Lovely. Where was it, this one? - At the back.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57This was the room.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Oh, this must bring back such lovely memories.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02This was the room at the back and we could look over the orchard.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- And the orchard is still there. - Yeah.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08- And the other thing I remember is they had a record player.- Oh!
0:19:08 > 0:19:13You know, the old kind of open-it-up-and-put-the-record-on?
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- Dance to records.- It would have been like Elvis and stuff.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Yeah. Whatever. Yeah, yeah.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Most historians trace the beginning of rock back to 1954
0:19:21 > 0:19:26when rock 'n' roll appeared and revolutionized musical tastes.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29While the sound was developing so was the technology,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32changing the way we listen to it,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36which led to both the 33 rpm and the 45 rpm record.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40This meant a better quality of sound and more music on one disc
0:19:40 > 0:19:45for Arlene to dance to inside and outside of the house. Wa ho!
0:19:45 > 0:19:48So, here it is, the orchard.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51- This hasn't changed at all.- Yeah?
0:19:51 > 0:19:56- Just as it was a bit ramshackled, rough and tumble.- Fantastic.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- It's pretty, isn't it? - It's lovely.- Isn't it pretty?
0:19:58 > 0:20:01And did you do a bit of dancing when you're out here?
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Len, I never stopped dancing. I made everybody dance. I put on shows.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09- Really?- My cousins had to be in the shows whether they liked it or not.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11I think at the time, I would... You know, I think...
0:20:13 > 0:20:17What, it just be a bit of...? Well, I couldn't...I couldn't click at 11.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20THEY HUM: Da da da da.
0:20:20 > 0:20:21Oh, yeah!
0:20:21 > 0:20:22You were the director?
0:20:22 > 0:20:25I was the director. I was the choreographer.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27I was she-who-must-be-obeyed.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30- They had to do what I wanted them to do.- Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32And inevitably, I got upset
0:20:32 > 0:20:35because nobody was doing quite what I wanted.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Well, nothing's changed then.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39And I would go off and sulk,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43but it didn't take me long to get back and smile.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Right. Well, that's always the best way.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49When Arlene wasn't dancing in the garden
0:20:49 > 0:20:50in the her uncle and aunt's house,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53she would be heading into Southport itself.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56So, I'm taking her for a ride back down memory lane
0:20:56 > 0:20:59or in this case, on the Pier Road Train.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Here we go, Arlene. Ha-ha! On the train in the train.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06- In the train.- Hey, hey!
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Oh, lovely. Eh?
0:21:11 > 0:21:15I loved to get on this train and ride down this pier.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19It's such a long pier, so getting on this little train,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22we'd all packed in and...
0:21:22 > 0:21:25I don't know, it must've been very expensive
0:21:25 > 0:21:28because we couldn't always get the train.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37Southport Pier is a famous landmark in the town with a turbulent past.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Southport Pier was opened in 1860
0:21:41 > 0:21:44and at the time,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47it was the first pier ever to be built purely for pleasure.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51It was not for the steamboats for dropping people off
0:21:51 > 0:21:54or the fishing boats to anchor, although they did do in later years.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Four years later, it was extended,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58which then made it the second longest pier in Britain.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01The pier did burn down on more than one occasion.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05It also got badly damaged by fishing boats in storms
0:22:05 > 0:22:09because the local fishermen used to tie their boats up to the pier.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11The end of the pier disappeared into the water
0:22:11 > 0:22:14so it's no longer the second longest in Britain,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17but we still hold the record for the only one built purely for pleasure.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Tell me about your first big project, Hot Gossip.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Hot Gossip was born out of frustration.
0:22:26 > 0:22:33Every time I switched my TV on, every dancer was doing grin, grin, grin.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35It's like, "What are they doing?"
0:22:35 > 0:22:40Dancing is about your heart, your soul, your body, your balls.
0:22:40 > 0:22:45So I created a dance group that was to do with everything
0:22:45 > 0:22:47- that was going on in the outside world.- Yeah.
0:22:47 > 0:22:53- You know, the clubs, the vibrancy of London in the late '70s.- Yeah.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56I decided I was going to have a group everyone was going to talk about,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00so the name had to be Hot Gossip, cos they were sexy.
0:23:00 > 0:23:01Yeah, they were.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Hot Gossip started out performing in London nightclubs
0:23:04 > 0:23:06until they got their big break
0:23:06 > 0:23:10when they appeared regularly on the Kenny Everett Video Show.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13I guess that really propelled your career on.
0:23:13 > 0:23:19Once Hot Gossip broke out on TV in the Kenny Everett show,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23which actually was three years after I first started the group,
0:23:23 > 0:23:24that was it.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28- I mean, when I say Hollywood called, Hollywood called.- Right.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30My next project was a huge film.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34And the films kept rolling in.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Can't Stop The Music with the Village People,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41and the film version of the musical, Annie.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45But we aren't talking about 'Tomorrow,'
0:23:45 > 0:23:48we're talking about 1954 when a pint of milk
0:23:48 > 0:23:51and a loaf of bread cost sixpence farthing in old money.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56Local resident, Bev Gregory, was 16 at the time
0:23:56 > 0:23:59and made the most of this summers by working the holiday season.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Well, Arlene, I'd like you to meet Bev.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- Hi, Bev.- Pleased to meet you, Arlene. - Nice to meet you.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Now, Bev has lived all of his life in Southport
0:24:10 > 0:24:15- and he was here in '54 when you came as a little kid.- Right.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16Now what was you doing then, Bev?
0:24:16 > 0:24:19I was working on the fairgrounds over there.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21I was working on the Cake Walk which I don't know
0:24:21 > 0:24:23- if you're remember? - Yeah, yeah, I do.- It used to go...
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Forward and back, and the River Caves.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Are the River Caves still there? Or have they gone?
0:24:28 > 0:24:29I loved the River Caves.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32It's so... You could just float along and it was quiet and peaceful.
0:24:32 > 0:24:33Very quiet.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36And you could have a necking session with your girlfriend.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38I'm thinking of taking Arlene up there.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Is there still the Tunnel of Love?
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Unfortunately, I don't think there is.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44You'll have to make your own tunnel.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51This is lovely. This little area where you can get out a boat or...
0:24:51 > 0:24:55That's right. These little boats have been here since I was a lad.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57I remember the motorboats.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00What did you get, 20 minutes before they called you in?
0:25:00 > 0:25:01Yeah, something like that.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05- We should go up to the Pleasure... What was it called?- Pleasureland.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07- Pleasureland.- Pleasureland.- Yes.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Did you fancy little walk along to Pleasureland?
0:25:09 > 0:25:15- I would love a walk to Pleasureland. Candyfloss, toffee apples.- Ice cream.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19- Ice cream.- Bev, it's been great. - OK.- Thanks a lot.- OK, fantastic.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21- Lovely to meet you.- And you.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29As we wave goodbye to Bev, we're also leaving behind
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Southport Marine Lake where there's a whole host of water sports
0:25:33 > 0:25:35for the whole family.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39From paddling under your own steam to someone else's.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42But the park also be viewed from dry land
0:25:42 > 0:25:45as it's got its own miniature railway.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50On the other side of the bridge smack bang on the promenade
0:25:50 > 0:25:53are the 17 acres of Kings Gardens.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57In 2012, they were awarded £5.5 million
0:25:57 > 0:26:00from the Heritage Lottery Fund in Sefton Council
0:26:00 > 0:26:04to restore the gardens to their former glories.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07They've managed to conserve the historical features
0:26:07 > 0:26:11as well as providing new, more contemporary additions.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16Southport's war memorial was built in 1923
0:26:16 > 0:26:19and consists of a central obelisk
0:26:19 > 0:26:22which stands in the centre of a traffic island
0:26:22 > 0:26:24with colonnades to the northeast and southwest.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Outside these colonnades are gardens which contain
0:26:29 > 0:26:31a pool of remembrance and fountains,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34the perfect place to sit and contemplate.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42And contemplation is the name of the game
0:26:42 > 0:26:46as I'm taking Arlene to an ice cream shop run by an Italian family,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49just as it was in 1954.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Well, Arlene, when you're on your holidays,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55you've got to have an ice cream.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57- Absolutely.- Here we go.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05So, does this place bring back many happy memories?
0:27:05 > 0:27:12Many happy memories of eating the best, creamiest ice cream.
0:27:12 > 0:27:17- Nothing like it!- Yeah, and what was it, a daily event or...?
0:27:17 > 0:27:22No, it was a once-a-week treat if I was here for a week.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26It couldn't be a daily event, but then that made it more special.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- That's what was exciting.- Yeah.
0:27:29 > 0:27:35On the taste of it, I've never, ever captured that taste ever
0:27:35 > 0:27:39since I came here as a kid. I'll tell you something else I used to do
0:27:39 > 0:27:42which we had to share between the three of us,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- knickerbocker glories.- Oh!
0:27:44 > 0:27:48Oh, Arlene, don't. No, don't. Don't get me started.
0:27:48 > 0:27:53'Oh, the knickerbocker glory! It's been around since the 1930s.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55'Although typically British,
0:27:55 > 0:27:59'many think it may have started in America as the name pays homage
0:27:59 > 0:28:03'to the striped sports garments called knickerbockers.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07'The word itself comes from Dutch settlers in the New York area.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12'One thing I do know, they taste blooming gorgeous.'
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Come back, Len. Come back to earth.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17Now this place has been here since you came in the '50s,
0:28:17 > 0:28:21and they've told me that the recipe has never changed.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23SHE GASPS
0:28:23 > 0:28:25This is the knickerbocker glory, the famous one.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27That's the traditional vanilla.
0:28:27 > 0:28:28Oh, my gosh.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Well, I'll tell you what, first of all, close you eyes, Arlene,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33and I'm going to spoon-feed you.
0:28:33 > 0:28:34Here it comes.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Is that the taste of '54?
0:28:43 > 0:28:44Oh, my gosh.
0:28:46 > 0:28:52That is the taste of '54.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55- Delicious.- There you are. Ooh.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59So how does it feel to come back? Is it a nice feeling?
0:28:59 > 0:29:01Poignant or...?
0:29:02 > 0:29:05You know, Len, it's really lovely to come back
0:29:05 > 0:29:08and to remember all those happy memories,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12but for me it was all so tinged with an awful lot of sadness.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14And...
0:29:14 > 0:29:18the memories that come flooding back have been here with my mother
0:29:18 > 0:29:23and sort of losing her at the age of...15.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27I was suddenly this bewildered teenager that was really lost
0:29:27 > 0:29:29and it reminds me all of that, too.
0:29:30 > 0:29:37- But the joys of taste.- Yeah. - The joys of sight, and the joys of...
0:29:37 > 0:29:38Just the experience of being here
0:29:38 > 0:29:42and the reason I wanted to do it was for me, to bring back those memories.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44Lovely.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48- I'm letting you into a secret, there's lots more to come.- More?
0:29:48 > 0:29:50Oh, yeah. We've not scratched the surface yet.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53- Come on, Len, leave that knickerbocker glory.- No.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55- I want to see more. Come on! - Let me just have one more bit.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57One more bit.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01- Seven.- Seven.- Keep going.- No.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06- Well, lovely.- That was great. Thank you.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09- Lovely.- Love the ice cream.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15'Time for another stroll along the beach, me thinks.'
0:30:15 > 0:30:19Would you know, standing here reminds me a little bit
0:30:19 > 0:30:23- of the beach in Nice. - The south of France.- Yes.
0:30:23 > 0:30:28- I'm still standing.- Yeah, Elton John and of course... Bruno.- Bruno!
0:30:28 > 0:30:33Part of the video was coming up from the mountains
0:30:33 > 0:30:38and riding down in a car, Elton in the front of the car,
0:30:38 > 0:30:41plate glass window, sugar glass,
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Elton driving through the glass window...
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Suddenly, the police said it was too dangerous
0:30:47 > 0:30:50and so the whole story of the video was gone.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53I went, "Oh, what were going to do? What are going to do?"
0:30:53 > 0:30:54They said, "Well, think of something!"
0:30:54 > 0:30:56I said, "Well, my friend has got a dance school.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59"Let's get loads of dancers and we'll dance everywhere."
0:30:59 > 0:31:03So they got permission to dance everywhere and Bruno was saying,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06"What am I going to do? What to my going to do?
0:31:06 > 0:31:08"I was doing the catching."
0:31:08 > 0:31:11And I said, "OK, Bruno, we'll find something." You know,?
0:31:11 > 0:31:14We got costumes from the shop, we got a body paint artist.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19I'll tell you, to work all that out, you know, almost on your feet,
0:31:19 > 0:31:21just, "Well, what we going to do?"
0:31:21 > 0:31:25And just doing it, it turned out to be a terrific video.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29- It was so much fun.- Fantastic. So, how does that walk go? Show me.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34I'm just going to do something now sort of Bruno-esque.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40And then I'll carry on. There we go. Ha-ha!
0:31:43 > 0:31:45And that wasn't the only one she made.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48As the pop video became popular in the '80s,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50Arlene worked with musical royalty
0:31:50 > 0:31:54from AC/DC to Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58# I wanna dance with somebody
0:31:58 > 0:32:01# With somebody who loves me. #
0:32:01 > 0:32:06Via Diana Ross' Chain Reaction, Duran Duran's Wild Boys,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09and Robbie Williams' controversial Rock DJ video.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20It's a day full of treats and I have another surprise awaiting Arlene
0:32:20 > 0:32:23back at Uncle Morris and Auntie Miriam's old house.
0:32:23 > 0:32:24Oh, my gosh.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28- Boiled potatoes.- Yeah. - Roast chicken.- Yeah.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32- Lots and lots of cucumber, and cabbage.- Yeah, have a seat.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36- And what about the plates? Were they...- The plates are gorgeous.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39- Were they the sort of posh plates? - These were the posh plates
0:32:39 > 0:32:40with gold round the edges.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44So you'd all be sitting here, you know, five or six of you.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46What was it, like a smash and grab?
0:32:46 > 0:32:50Or was Uncle Morris in charge of dishing it out?
0:32:50 > 0:32:54It was take the plates around and you all took a bit of this.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57You are aware of how many people would have to eat,
0:32:57 > 0:33:01and there wasn't the Hellmann's real mayonnaise.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04There was Crosse & Blackwell Salad Cream.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08Can I tell you something? I prefer salad cream to mayonnaise.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12- It's because I grew up with salad cream.- I'm saying.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16- Would you like a bit of chicken? - I'd love a slice of chicken.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20- What about the cucumbers? - Cucumbers, I loved cucumber.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22- Would you like some potato? - I'll have potato.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25- Well, bon appetit.- Bon appetit.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29- Tuck in.- Tuck in. Is it chicken?- Mm!
0:33:29 > 0:33:34By the start of 1954, food choices were still limited.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Despite the second world war having ended nine years earlier,
0:33:37 > 0:33:43food rationing in Britain only ended at midnight on July 4 of that year,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47when restrictions on meat and bacon were finally lifted.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49Yum, Yum.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54What would you have for pudding?
0:33:54 > 0:33:58I have a memory of there being a cake shop.
0:33:58 > 0:34:04There would be cream puffs, choux pastry full of cream.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08- There'd be chocolate eclairs. - Something along the lines...
0:34:08 > 0:34:10- of that.- Gasp!
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Feed your face, Philips!
0:34:14 > 0:34:19Len, that is the hugest chocolate eclair I've ever seen.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23We haven't skimped. Now, I'm going to cut you a piece like this.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26- That's a family eclair. - It certainly is.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Not a family affair, a family eclair.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31There is your bit and, of course, I better have the rest.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34- Of course you better. - It was better 50-50.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38- Mm!- Oh!
0:34:39 > 0:34:41Oh, I'll tell you what.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Smack me with the damp chamois leather, will you? This is heaven.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52Getting this in my mouth...
0:34:52 > 0:34:54is too good.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Don't eat too much.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- OK, Len, here goes. - Going for one of them?
0:35:01 > 0:35:04In for a penny, in for a pound.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08THEY LAUGH
0:35:11 > 0:35:16Southport has something for everyone and culture plays an important role.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19The Atkinson is a multi-artform venue
0:35:19 > 0:35:23set in a grade II listed building in the heart of the town.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28In 1875, William Atkinson offered Southport Corporation
0:35:28 > 0:35:31£6,000 to build an art gallery and library.
0:35:31 > 0:35:36Almost a century and a half later, a multimillion-pound makeover
0:35:36 > 0:35:39is nearly complete with its beautifully restored galleries
0:35:39 > 0:35:44and theatre, it promises to host the very best in visual
0:35:44 > 0:35:47and performing arts throughout the year.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49And venues don't come much bigger
0:35:49 > 0:35:53than the Southport Theatre & Convention Centre.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56It's the town's main live entertainment venue
0:35:56 > 0:36:01and includes a 1,631 seat auditorium.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04The Beatles from just down the coast even perform tier.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07Their first appearance was in 1962
0:36:07 > 0:36:11on a bill advertised as a "Rock 'n' Trad Spectacular."
0:36:13 > 0:36:17Owned and managed by the Defty family for 35 years,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21the Swan Restaurant and Takeaway is the oldest established
0:36:21 > 0:36:23fish and chip restaurant in Southport.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27They serve a wide range of fresh fish delivered
0:36:27 > 0:36:29from nearby Fleetwood every day,
0:36:29 > 0:36:33giving this place a reputation second to none.
0:36:34 > 0:36:38Aimed at the under 12s, Farmer Ted's is a family-run business
0:36:38 > 0:36:42which aims to combine farming fun and education.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45Children get to enjoy all the fun of the farm,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48whether it's milking cows, driving tractors,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50or visiting the local watering hole.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54It's just completed a major face-lift
0:36:54 > 0:36:56so there's even more to do.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01'It's time for a final visit to Southport Beach
0:37:01 > 0:37:05'where Arlene spent so much of her holiday back in 1954.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08'I want to find out just how after all these years she continues
0:37:08 > 0:37:13'to deal with the ups and downs of life in the showbiz fast lane.'
0:37:13 > 0:37:19- Now, we got to know each other via Strictly.- Indeed we did, Len.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23Ten years ago, and it was a wonderful, wonderful experience.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27How was that experience being on Strictly for you?
0:37:27 > 0:37:30- There I met Len Goodman.- Yes.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32We sat next to each other
0:37:32 > 0:37:36and we looked at each other and we went, "This will never fly."
0:37:36 > 0:37:41And then we said to each other, "Well, if you do it, I'll do it."
0:37:41 > 0:37:44And you said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Same." You know?
0:37:44 > 0:37:47And so we decided together to do it,
0:37:47 > 0:37:53but we didn't think it was going to be a success until week one
0:37:53 > 0:37:57when Natasha danced with Brendan and I suddenly thought,
0:37:57 > 0:38:01"You know what? Maybe this will be a hit." And...
0:38:01 > 0:38:05Because I remember saying to you, "This won't last one series."
0:38:05 > 0:38:09- I know.- I said no-one is interested in ballroom and Latin dancing.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Then we had all those marvellous series together
0:38:12 > 0:38:15and suddenly they decide they're going to change around the judges
0:38:15 > 0:38:17and I just couldn't understand it.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20It must've been a terrible wrench.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21It was.
0:38:21 > 0:38:26But there was a gut-wrenching thing was that my wonderful manager
0:38:26 > 0:38:28passed away the day before.
0:38:28 > 0:38:33So the blows...came at me.
0:38:33 > 0:38:38And so happening on top of one another has made me
0:38:38 > 0:38:42kind of put Strictly locked away inside me.
0:38:42 > 0:38:48Do you think your time spent in Southport at your uncle's garden
0:38:48 > 0:38:52making up little dances with your cousins your brothers and sisters...
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Do you think that sort of was the foundation
0:38:55 > 0:38:59- for what came in the future? - There's no question.
0:38:59 > 0:39:06Everything I did as a kid in Southport helped my future.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09I never stopped imagining.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11I never stopped believing.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14I never stopped fighting.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16I never stopped working hard.
0:39:16 > 0:39:23And, of course, you must have been so proud when the OBE, the Queen...
0:39:23 > 0:39:26What was that like? What was that day like?
0:39:26 > 0:39:33Let me tell you, the OBE was pretty grand, but the CB was legendary!
0:39:33 > 0:39:37- So you've got one... - I've had two.- Never!
0:39:37 > 0:39:41- Len, I have had two. - For services to dance, I guess?
0:39:41 > 0:39:47For services to dance, but my CB also was for services to charity.
0:39:47 > 0:39:53Seems a little unfair you've got a CB and in OBE, and poor old Len...
0:39:53 > 0:39:57- You've not got an OBE, have you? - I've got nothing.- Oh, Len!
0:39:57 > 0:40:00- And I don't suppose I ever will.- No.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Your services to Britain
0:40:02 > 0:40:07- and to the world of ballroom dancing are legendary.- Keep it coming.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12Len, they are truly legendary and you have brought ballroom back,
0:40:12 > 0:40:18not just here in the UK, not just in the USA, but around the world.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21- So my goodness.- Keep it coming, dear. It could be a knight.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24- Is it a knight? - That's what I'm thinking.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27- It could be Lord Len of Dartford. - It could.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31- Who knows where it could stop. - Lord Len of Dartford.- Thank you.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Curtsy if you will.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37It's been just wonderful to spend time with my old mucker, Arlene,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39and to learn more about her family
0:40:39 > 0:40:43and the precious time she spent in Southport all those years ago.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Seeing the birth of a diva...
0:40:46 > 0:40:50And I would go off and sulk, but it didn't take me long to get back
0:40:50 > 0:40:53- and smile.- Right.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55With her disco fever...
0:40:55 > 0:41:00Dancing is about your heart, your soul, your body, your balls...
0:41:00 > 0:41:02An expert ice cream retriever...
0:41:02 > 0:41:06I want to get down there and dig deep.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12- And a true believer... - I never stopped imagining.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16And I never stopped believing. I never stopped fighting.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19I have enormous admiration for my chum.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24It is been wonderful, and to think of you and your uncle Morris
0:41:24 > 0:41:27back in 1954 coming here as a little girl.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31It's been an absolute pleasure and I've enjoyed it so much.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35It's been lovely to be with you, Len, and spend the day with you.
0:41:35 > 0:41:36- It's been great, eh?- Yeah.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38Now, I want to remember this day,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41so I've got a little thing for you here.
0:41:43 > 0:41:49It's a scrapbook of memories of our day spent together.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52Oh, how lovely.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58A scrapbook of memories of Arlene's time spent in Southport
0:41:58 > 0:42:01and bearing in mind how this beach holiday
0:42:01 > 0:42:06has rekindled those memories, I have one last surprise.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08One more thing.
0:42:08 > 0:42:15You see, this is an aerial view taken the early '50s of Southport.
0:42:15 > 0:42:20Oh, my goodness. So this was to Big Dipper at Pleasureland.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23- Yeah, a little bit like your career. - Yeah.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26A few downs, but lots and lots of ups.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30- Yeah, more ups than downs there, Len. - Exactly.- More ups than downs.
0:42:30 > 0:42:35You know what, Len? Just here, just looking at that bridge...
0:42:35 > 0:42:37My gosh, I can see Fred Astaire
0:42:37 > 0:42:40- and Ginger Rogers dancing over it right now.- Yeah.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Thank you.
0:42:46 > 0:42:51- Ha-ha! Len and Arlene... Ooh! - You know what, Len?
0:42:51 > 0:42:57- You are no seven, you are a ten. - Oh! On we go!
0:42:59 > 0:43:03Today, I've seen why Arlene was attracted to the glamour
0:43:03 > 0:43:06of 1950s Southport, which led her to the bright lights
0:43:06 > 0:43:11of the showbiz world in which she has well and truly made her home.