Strictly favourites join Celebrity Gogglebox line-up in a first for hit C4 show
The two Strictly Come Dancing judges are more used to delivering views on fancy footwork and musicality but this time around they'll be judging some of this week's TV
When it comes to judging a quickstep or a salsa, the Strictly Come Dancing judges are not backwards at throwing forwards their opinions. But now Craig Revel Horwood and Anton du Beke will be offering up their thoughts on the nation's TV programmes for Celebrity Gogglebox. And it remains to be seen if Craig will break out his 'fab-u-lous' catchphrase, or just find the shows plain frightful.
Pals Craig and Anton are the first of the BBC ballroom show's judges to team up for the Channel 4 show, now in its seventh series after first airing in 2019.
The pair have worked together on BBC1 for more than 20 years, having joined the show at its launch in 2004, and knew each other from the dance circuit before that.
They'll make their debut on Celebrity Gogglebox on Friday, joining in with recent newcomer Vernon Kay, who is married to fellow Strictly lifer Tess Daly.
Anton told the Mirror: 'I'm super excited to be swapping the judges chair for a comfy sofa! Sitting down with my dear friend and fellow Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood to enjoy a bit of telly on this new series of Gogglebox.'
While the dad-of-two, 58, is generally quite glowing in his praise for the celebrity contestants, Aussie Craig, 60, is known for his acid put-downs and low scores. The pair have been on the panel together, alongside Motsi Mabuse and head judge Shirley Ballas, since 2021, when Anton replaced Bruno Tonioli during the pandemic. Prior to that he was one of the professional dancers, with his most memorable partners including Ann Widdecombe, Ruth Langsford and Kate Garraway.
Craig, who is due to marry his partner Jonathan Myring in 2027, took part in a one-off Pride special of Gogglebox a few years ago, which also featured pro dancer Johannes Radebe. Other Strictly alumni to appear on the C4 show are Pasha Kovalev, who took park with then-girlfriend Rachel Riley after quitting the ballroom show in 2019, and Oti Mabuse, who joined in alongside comedian Bill Bailey, with whom she won the glitterball trophy in 2020.
In a video to promote their apprearance, the pair look relaxed and happy with Craig declaring: 'Gogglebox darlings, Friday, 9pm, join us there.'
Many of the Celebrity Gogglebox regulars have returned for the current series including Rylan Clark and his mum Linda, Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan, Gok Wan and Fearne Cotton, Gyles Brandreth and Lulu, Nick and Liv Grimshaw, Clare Balding and Alice Arnold, Mo Gilligan and Babatunde Aleshe and Martin and Roman Kemp.
Radio 2 DJ Vernon has teamed up with another presenter from Bolton, Paddy McGuinness, for the sofa-based series.
Another new pairing for this series are Inbetweeners star James Buckley and his wife Clair, who do a podcast about Family Life called The Buckleys.
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