Arlene Phillips, Kate Bingham to be given damehoods – reports

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips and the ex-head of the vaccines taskforce Kate Bingham are reportedly to be given damehoods.

The pair are said to be among those who will be recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours which will be announced this month.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, venture capitalist Ms Bingham will be rewarded for her efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In her unpaid role as chair of the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce she led procurement of vaccines and helped secure more than 350 million doses of seven different vaccines, including 40 million doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and 100 million doses of the jab developed by Oxford and AstraZeneca.

Meanwhile, the Sun said Phillips will also be awarded after a distinguished career in dance.

The 78-year-old was director and choreographer of Hot Gossip, a regular on TV in the late 1970s and early 1980s, worked on the West End and Broadway, and then on Strictly.

The BBC was accused of ageism after Phillips was famously dropped from Strictly and replaced by younger star Alesha Dixon in 2009.

She was appointed a CBE in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to dance and charity.