Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has defended the show's new presenting line-up of Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, branding press criticism of the trio "disgusting" during an appearance on BBC Breakfast on Friday 9 October.
Speaking about their season 24 debut, Revel Horwood said: "I think the hosts are wonderful. I love Emma - love, love, love her. Josh is hilarious. He's going to come into his own." He also praised Johannes, calling him a "breath of fresh air" and noting: "He is the first person ever that we've had presenting, who actually knows what he's talking about dance-wise, which I think is great, because he can actually talk technically about it."
Time to bond as a trio
Revel Horwood also suggested fans should give the presenters time to form relationships with one another. "It's like a family. You're going to find your way, and you have to form relationships," he explained, drawing a comparison with BBC Breakfast hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt.
"It's like you guys. You've got to form some sort of relationship together in order to present. Don't you? You've got to agree with that?" he asked. "Absolutely, it takes time," Munchetty admitted.
Support from fellow Strictly star
Revel Horwood is not the only Strictly figure to publicly support the new presenters. Professional dancer Lauren Oakley recently shared a heartfelt statement on Instagram, saying: "We couldn't be in safer hands than with these beautiful people." She added: "Strictly is about family, uplifting others, and creating a safe space for celebrity contestants to be vulnerable and do something so outside of their comfort zone. This trio have been so warm and welcoming, and they felt like family from the minute they stepped into the studio, and we LOVE having them with us."
Josh later reshared Oakley's words on his Instagram Stories. Since Strictly's return in September, Emma, Josh and Johannes have faced significant backlash, with fans criticising the BBC's decision to recruit three presenters rather than two. Josh and Johannes have come under particular fire, with some suggesting the newcomers are "out of their depth" and "awkward" compared to Emma. The stars have maintained a united front as they head into week three of the competition.
