Craig Revel Horwood, known for his sharp tongue on Strictly Come Dancing, has admitted that his first impression of fellow judge Anton Du Beke was that he was "stuck-up". The revelation came during an episode of their new podcast, Judgemental, where the pair discussed their relationship and Anton described them as "inseparable".
First Impressions Were Harsh
Staying true to his reputation as the show's "Mr Nasty", Craig acknowledged that his initial assessment of Anton was far from complimentary. He suspected Anton viewed himself as the "king of ballroom". Craig said: "Well, I got to say, my first impression of you, I thought you were really, like, stuck-up. I thought you were, like, above your station." Anton quipped that he was indeed "totally above".
Craig continued: "Ooh, look, he thinks he's the king of ballroom; look at him. And then I got to know you a little bit better, obviously. And I changed my mind because I loved what you did with Ann Widdecombe. I thought that was brilliant." He praised how Anton treated his dance partners, calling it "really, really good".
Craig Changed His Mind
Craig admitted he "got that completely wrong" about Anton, noting that he is "not stuck-up at all. In fact, you're quite the opposite." Anton joked he "wouldn't go that far", but Craig insisted his co-judge is "grounded", a quality crucial to their friendship as Craig dislikes people who "aren't grounded". Anton replied: "I love that."
Craig, originally from Ballarat, Australia, has been a Strictly fixture since 2004, while Anton transitioned from professional dancer to judge in 2021.
Living in a Caravan
Separately, Craig revealed why he has been "living in a caravan" earlier this year. He and his partner, Jonathan Myring, are renovating their £2 million, seven-bedroom mansion in King's Cliffe, Northamptonshire. Purchased in 2021, the 1867 residence has undergone extensive work. Eight months ago, they were in the "demolition stage" and anticipated completion by August.
Craig previously described living in a "one-up, two-down" annex "basically the size of a caravan". As of April, his temporary lodgings remained modest. He told The Mail's Richard Eden: "I am living in a caravan at the moment. It's cheaper than storage."
