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.
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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.
“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.”
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“Obviously, that sort of training would not be available today, you know things have changed.”
“We’ve come a long way in the forty years since I’ve trained.”
Asked in a recent radio interview if he was worried about the future of Strictly, he said: “I don’t think so.”
“It’s one of those shows that belongs in the people’s hearts that are at home who love dancing,” he explained.
“There’s nothing better than seeing someone come from nothing and work hard and move up to being absolutely phenomenal.”
Strictly’s full scandal so far
Strictly Come Dancing’s scandal has been growing over the past few months, with several major players speaking out about what went on. Here are the key moments of what’s happened so far
16th May: Giovanni Pernice sensationally quits Strictly Come Dancing after nine years on the show.
17th May: Giovanni becomes the centre of an official investigation after three former partners – believed to be Amanda Abbington, Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh – make complaints to the BBC.
16th June: Giovanni releases an official statement vowing to clear his name and denies any wrongdoing.
8th July: Strictly confirms Aljaz Skorjanec will return to the series, replacing Giovanni, after initially quitting the show two years ago.
10th July: Amanda Abbington launches fresh legal proceedings to get the rehearsal footage from her time with Giovanni, after allegedly he refused to release the videos.
13th July: Graziano Di Prima is axed from Strictly for “gross misconduct” after footage of his treatment of Zara McDermott is brought to the attention of the BBC.
Graziano quickly broke his silence, apologising for his behaviour in a statement and saying he “deeply regrets it”, adding his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected his training regime.”
15th July: Strictly bosses implement new duty of care protocols, including having a chaperone present throughout all rehearsals.
16th July: Zara McDermott speaks out publicly for first time. She states while the production team were “amazing to work with”, she found the rehearsal room “completely different”, confirming there’s footage of “certain situations”.
19th July: Anton Du Beke is put under the spotlight for his “1970s attitude” and treatment of female celeb stars, particularly after allegedly referring to 2009 partner Laila Rouass as a “p***” after getting a spray tan.
21st July: Paralympian Will Bayley, who has limb condition arthrogryposis, revealed he was encouraged to leap from a table during a dance routine, despite fears. The stunt caused an injury that forced him to withdraw from the show.
22nd July: MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace admits he broke down in tears and got a nasty stress rash on his face during his time on Strictly in 2014.
22nd July: Despite ongoing issues, the Strictly professional cast begin rehearsals for this year’s series.
23rd July: Celebrity agent Melanie Blake claims she was sexually assaulted by an unnamed pro dancer while backstage on the show, and claims she witnessed ageism, rudeness and a rough treatment to the point of injury.
23rd July: Strictly is forced to beef up security after ‘an intruder scales the wall of the rehearsal studio’.
23rd July: BBC boss Tim Davie breaks his silence on the ongoing allegations against Strictly, saying he is ‘deeply sorry’, adding: “Hundreds of people, be they pros, contestants or crew have been part of it and had a brilliant experience.
“At the same time if someone thinks there was something wrong or they want to talk about their experience then of course we want them to raise that with us. Be in no doubt we will take it seriously, listen and deal with it as appropriate.”
24th July: Strictly 2023 star Krishnan Guru-Murthy holds a bombshell interview with Amanda Abbington on Channel 4 news, where she claims she was bullied, with some of the ‘humilation being of a sexual nature’.
27th July: Laura Whitmore releases a statement regarding her Strictly experience, saying “I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned I was wrong”.
She adds she is not part of the official complaint, but has come forward to support Amanda with the BBC, alongside others.
28th July: Laila Rouass speaks out against the accusations regarding Anton Du Beke, saying she “never felt pressured” by him and “personally insisted on six to seven hours training a day”.
August 10: Graziano breaks his silence on his Strictly axe, saying “these vile, false allegations have ruined my life.”
He also told of the “shocking” end to his friendship with Zara McDermott.
