Strictly Come Dancing's notoriously sharp-tongued judge, Craig Revel Horwood, has finally revealed which celebrity partner he considers his absolute worst, describing their time together as nothing short of a 'total nightmare'.
The BBC star, known for his brutally honest critiques, didn't hold back in a candid new interview, exposing the intense behind-the-scenes friction that turned a dream pairing into a dancefloor disaster.
The 'Total Nightmare' Revealed
Horwood pointed the finger directly at his 2005 partner, former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips. He confessed that their collaboration was so fraught with difficulty it nearly made him quit the show entirely during its early days.
'She was a total nightmare, darling,' Horwood stated bluntly. 'It was a complete and utter disaster from the very beginning.'
A Clash of Wills on the Dancefloor
The core of their conflict, according to Horwood, was a fundamental clash over creative control. He described Phillips as resistant to his professional direction and choreography.
'She thought she knew better,' he revealed. 'She was a journalist, used to being in charge and telling people what to do. She wasn't prepared to listen to me, the professional, on how to actually dance.'
This power struggle culminated in a now-infamous Samba performance that Horwood still remembers with dread. The routine scored a dismal 16 points, landing them at the bottom of the leaderboard and ensuring their swift exit from the competition that week.
The Aftermath of a Strictly Disaster
The experience was so negative that Horwood admits he actively avoids crossing paths with Phillips to this day. He even suggested that the tension was so palpable it could have been cut with a knife.
Despite this one sour partnership, Horwood's passion for Strictly never truly wavered. He continues to be a cornerstone of the show's judging panel, now celebrating its twentieth series. His revelation offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the high-pressure environment of the nation's favourite dance show, proving that even the professionals can have a bad run on the glittering floor.
