Craig Revel Horwood makes brutal claim about fellow Strictly Come Dancing judges

Independent

06-04-2025

Craig Revel Horwood made a brutal dig at his fellow Strictly Come Dancing judges.
Since the BBC flagship show began in 2004, Horwood has won over viewers with his harsh opinions and hard-to-impress demeanour.
The 60-year-old has appeared on all 22 seasons of the dancing competitions, having first served as a judge alongside Len Goodman Arlene Phillips, and Bruno Tonioli.
Tonioli's departure from Strictly in 2019 left Horwood as the show's last remaining original judge. He is currently joined by Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Motsi Mabuse.
Horwood, however, seemed to belittle his fellow judges in a new interview with The Sun during which he suggested he was the only one who mattered.
'There is no other judge,' he told the publication. 'I created it. They are either dead or have been sacked.'
Goodman, the former head judge, died in 2023 at the age of 78 from bone cancer after prostate cancer spread to his bones.
Phillips, meanwhile, was axed in 2008 after she was the only judge not to have her contract renewed. She was replaced by season five winner Alesha Dixon.
At the time, the choreographer's exit from Strictly was a national topic of interest, and led to accusations of ageism.
Labour minister Harriet Harman commented on her departure in a House of Commons debate in 2009, telling MPs: 'I think it's absolutely shocking that Arlene Phillips is not going to be a judge on Strictly Come Dancing. And as equality minister, I am suspicious that there is age discrimination there.'
The BBC denied that this was the case, with the then-controller Jay Hunt pointing towards Anne Robinson, who was 60 at the time, hosting the consumer affairs show Watchdog.
Speaking about her exit in an interview last year, Phillips said she 'resented' the BBC's handling of the situation.
Elsewhere in the interview, Horwood played up to his villainous reputation, stating that his harsh comments about his fellow judges will help sell tickets for the tour of his new album Revelations: Songs Boys Don't Sing.
'We are going to be in the news,' he said. 'We need it as this is the beginning of the tour, and we need to sell the tour.'
Horwood has no problem with his reputation as the nastiest judge, telling the publication: 'I get booed heavily, but I enjoy playing the villain.'
Elsewhere in Strictly news, former contestant Louise Redknapp recently opened up about her time on the programme, which she appeared on in 2016, finishing in second place alongside dance partner Kevin Clifton.