Craig Revel Horwood has insisted he has no plans to leave Strictly Come Dancing, despite the show undergoing a significant lineup overhaul. Speaking at the unveiling of a tribute sculpture honouring the late Len Goodman, the judge made his position clear.
Major changes to the show
The beloved BBC competition is returning without Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly for the first time since Claudia took over from Bruce Forsyth in 2014. Emma Willis, Josh Widdecombe and Johannes Radebe are stepping into their presenting roles.
Five new professional dancers have also been announced, following exits including Gorka Marquez and Karen Hauer in what has been reported as a "bloodbath". The celebrity line-up is beginning to take shape, with Lacey Turner, Delta Goodrem and Dani Dyer confirmed as contestants.
Craig's defiant vow
Amid all the changes, Craig told The Mirror: "They'll have to drag me by whatever hair I have left, kicking and screaming, I love it, it's become a big part of my life now. It's the best Saturday job ever."
He also paid an emotional tribute to Goodman, who died in 2023 at the age of 78 after suffering from bone cancer. Goodman served as head judge from the show's launch in 2004 until 2016.
Craig shared: "I miss him from the bottom of my heart. Whenever I hear the Strictly theme music, I always think of Len Goodman and Bruce Forsyth. Because Len created Strictly. Without Len, I don't think the show would have survived. He was a master at his craft. He was a comedian."
Call for judging panel changes
Craig's vow comes after former Strictly professional James Jordan, who appeared between 2006 and 2013, urged a shake-up of the judging panel. He previously told The Mirror: "Shake them up, get rid of some of them. You need to get rid of at least two of them to shake it up a bit."
Hinting at himself as a possible replacement, he added: "Maybe get someone on there that's quite honest and outspoken, and not afraid to say the truth for fear of offending the 'woke minority' that write in and say, 'You can't say that', but at the end of the day, it's a dance competition and you're being judged. I used to prefer it when they were a bit more honest and not saying something and then going, 'But I love you and I think you're doing an amazing job'. It's ok to say, 'Actually I didn't enjoy this dance, I didn't feel your technique was correct, you're doing heel leads instead of being on the toe, your posture needs work,' what's wrong with saying that?"
He concluded: "I feel we need to bring back that. You don't need to be mean, you don't need to be horrible or get personal, but I think it needs a bit of honesty on the panel."
