Arlene criticises Alesha over 'Strictly' ten

Arlene Phillips has criticised Alesha Dixon's decision to award full marks to Kara Tointon for her performance on this week's Strictly Come Dancing.

Viewers saw Dixon give Tointon and partner Artem Chigvintsev the first ten of the current series for their paso doble on Saturday night's show.

However, ex-judge Phillips disagreed with Dixon's mark and claimed that Tointon had not quite "mastered" the technique of the dance, reports The Sun.

Phillips said: "I don't think [Kara and Artem] deserved that ten from Alesha. I'm with the other judges. They definitely deserved a nine because that was a very strong paso.

"For me anyone who gets a ten has to be able to master the technique, not as if they are a professional but showing they have understood every moment of technique that goes into the dance. The driving off the heels, the stance, the shaping, the transfer of weight, all has to be perfection - and it wasn't with Kara.

"She has not yet mastered the ability to make sure her footwork matches his and that's what a ten is - when you are so taken aback not just by the performance but by what is going on both in the footwork and through the body. Unless you can do that it's not a ten."

Phillips also questioned the decision of Dixon and fellow judges Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli to award full marks to EastEnders actor Scott Maslen and his partner Natalie Lowe for their Viennese waltz later on in the show.

"Kara's on her way to perfection and it's the same with Scott - he's a nine," Phillips insisted. "He's an excellent dancer but I don't think he's there yet.

"He could go on to do something far more brilliant and then where do you score him? He's got many more weeks to go and what's he going to do - get ten every week?"

The 67-year-old added: "I'm not very kind on my marks. I feel like people have got a long, long way to go. There's got to be something you can lead up to - something where you truly explode.

"Giving tens at this early stage means you can never repeat the reaction to the first one. But then again I guess I was just a tough old judge."