Alesha Anjanette Dixon is a British singer, dancer, rapper, model, television presenter and talent show judge. She found fame in 2001 as a member of all-female R&B/garage trio Mis-Teeq. The group disbanded in 2005 and Dixon pursued a music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records. She began recording her debut solo album, Fired Up, in 2006, but due to poor record sales of her first two singles, "Lipstick" and "Knockdown", she was dropped from Polydor.In 2007, Dixon won Strictly Come Dancing. Her television exposure led to a successful comeback, which included her signing to Asylum Records, an offshoot of Warner Music Group. Dixon then released a second album, entitled The Alesha Show, in 2008, which received platinum certification from BPI in the UK and spawned four singles including "The Boy Does Nothing" and "Breathe Slow", the latter of which became her highest charting single and earned her a Brit Award nomination.
In September 2009, Dixon became a judge on the seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing, replacing Arlene Phillips. The replacement of Phillips by Dixon attracted criticism, as some questioned the extent of Dixon's dancing knowledge. In 2010, Dixon returned for the eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing and released her third studio album, The Entertainer. In January 2012, shortly after completing the ninth series and her third year as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, Dixon quit to become a judge on Britain's Got Talent. Her fourth studio album, Do It for Love, was released in 2015.
As a television presenter, Dixon has hosted Your Face Sounds Familiar , Text Santa and Dance Dance Dance .
“Strictly has just given me a real zest for life. Life is so short. We should all grasp it.”
Alesha Dixon cited in Strictly Come Dancing saved me http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/231/Alesha-Strictly-Come-Dancing-saved-me/?printer=1 at ok.co.uk, 25 December 2007
“When you are knocked down you have two choices - stay down or get back up, stronger.”
Alesha Dixon cited in Exclusive Interview with: Alesha Dixon http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/the-ticket/2009/05/exclusive-interview-with-alesh.html" at blog.mirror.co.uk, 8 May 2009
“By the way, dancers are not human beings. How can you be human and do what they do?”
Alesha Dixon cited in Dixon tipped for Strictly success http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7156420.stm at bbc.co.uk, 22 December, 2007: Referring bookmakers favourite to win BBC One's ballroom show Strictly Come Dancing.
