Craig Revel Horwood has taken aim at his fellow judges as he claims he is the only judge that matters.
The author and dancer, 60, is beloved by fans for his role as the harshest judge and the one to impress on Strictly Come Dancing.
Since the inception of the show, Craig has appeared in all 22 seasons, and was one of the initial four judges alongside Len Goodman, Arlene Phillips, and Bruno Tonioli.
After Bruno left the show in 2019, Craig is the last remaining original judge, and is joined by blasted Shirley Ballas, 64, Anton Du Beke, 58, and Motsi Mabuse, 43, on the panel of the show.
Craig has now claimed that in fact he is the only judge remaining on the panel who matters.
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‘There is no other judge. I created it. They are either dead or have been sacked,’ he said in an interview with The Sun.
‘I get booed heavily, but I enjoy playing the villain,’ he added.
Craig was seemingly referencing Goodman, who died aged 78 from bone cancer in 2023, just six months into his retirement.
He also appeared to make reference to Dame Arlene, 81, who famously didn’t have her contract renewed in 2009 and was replaced by Alesha Dixon, 46, after five years on the show.
Craig then joked that his comments about his fellow judges would help to sell tickets for the tour of his album Revelations: Songs Boys Don’t Sing
‘We are going to be in the news. We need it as this is the beginning of the tour, and we need to sell the tour.’
Craig was once known for being brutal with the contestants and has spoken about being kinder in recent series, but retaining honesty.
‘I have changed my style of judging,’ he told the Radio Times magazine in 2024.
‘I was really harsh 20 years ago. When I look back, I think, “Ooh, that’s cutting.” It would now be classed as bullying, and then I’d be cancelled.’
He added: ‘It’s not fear of being cancelled. It’s just, how can I reach out to them and help them to improve, rather than just saying, “This is wrong, that’s wrong.” I’m thinking more like a teacher than a judge.
Craig also explained that he thinks the standard has vastly improved over the years.
‘They’re much more talented now than they used to be. Back then, we had snooker players and politicians, and it was pretty tough on people who couldn’t dance. I was very direct. I do still say what’s wrong, but you can wrap the truth in a nice way.’
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