STRICTLY judge Craig Revel Horwood has waded into the BBC’s hit show scandal – and taken at swipe at the celebs involved.
In a new interview, Craig praised the show’s pros and suggested the series’ celebrity cast aren’t prepared for the rigours of the competition.
Long-time judge Craig Revel Horwood has waded in on the scandal surrounding the hit BBC show
Chatting to the Daily Mail, Craig was asked if some of the alleged behind the scenes behaviour – which is being investigated in a BBC probe after Amanda Abbington complained – is ‘normal in the ultra-competitive, hands-on world of professional dancing’.
He replied: “Yeah, but it depends on a lot of things, like where you were trained, what your training is for. Similarly with Olympic champions, there are training devices that people use. It’s the same in football when your manager is training you and screaming at you.
He continued: “It’s a sport and it’s hard. The thing that makes it even more difficult in this situation is that celebrities are not used to that environment at all – and it’s arresting because it’s tactile when you’re dancing with a partner.”
The hit Saturday night series on the BBC has seen controversy rage on for months as concerns have been raised regarding the conduct of the professional dancers on the show.
Two of its pro dancers, Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, have left the show following allegations regarding their training.
As for the ongoing investigation, he claimed his only experience of the pros outside of judging them on a Saturday night was positive.
“I only know these people personally from directing them when I do the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour,” Craig explained. “They’ve been nothing but charming. I haven’t seen any of that.”
He added: “You know my quest for the truth is always important, that’s why I’m honest about their one minute and 30 seconds of performance. I don’t ask how they were trained to get to that stage. How they get there is their own thing. We’re not part of it.”
Craig went on to explain how he is not around when the celebs are training with the pros.
“There have been things in the press saying, ‘How would Craig not know what’s going on?’ Well, actually, I’m only there on a Saturday and all the training has been done. I don’t see any of it.
Craig Revel Horwood praises Debbie McGee and Giovanni Pernice by kneeling before them on Strictly Come Dancing
“The only time the judges ever enter a rehearsal space with anybody is for the final, to tell them what dance they will be doing. So for me it was a shock and I’m still hoping none of it’s true, but I really don’t know until it’s investigated properly, because at the moment it’s all just alleged.”
Craig also recently appeared on BBC Breakfast, where he gave an insight into how he was trained as a dancer.
Craig said: “I know how I was trained and it was tough.”
He continued: “I had a Russian Ballet teacher who used to have a cane and she would wack us with it, you know just so you’re not pulling up from the thigh, to make you engage your hamstrings.”