Arlene Phillips - Hot Gossip

Hot Gossip

In Britain, Phillips first became a household name as the director and choreographer of Hot Gossip, a British dance troupe which she formed in 1974 using students she was teaching at the time.

Hot Gossip spent two years performing in a London night club where Phillips and her manager developed the group's dance act.

The troupe were eventually spotted by the British television director, David Mallet who invited Phillips to make Hot Gossip a regular feature of The Kenny Everett Show, which he directed for Thames Television on ITV, first being aired in 1978. It was during this time that Hot Gossip made their only hit record "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper", a disco song which reached number 6 in the British music chart. Sung by Hot Gossip dancer Sarah Brightman, who went on to achieve international fame as a soprano vocalist.

Hot Gossip were particularly noted for the risque nature of their costumes and the dance routines, all designed and choreographed by Phillips, and they are often credited as one of the UK's early television dance troupes, continuing a trend which started with the Go-Jo's and Pan's People on Top of the Pops. Hot Gossip continued to be successful into the early 1980s with their own television show on the newly formed public service broadcaster, Channel 4, The Very Hot Gossip Show. Despite some early success, a strong decline in viewing figures led to the show being scrapped after the first season.