Anton Du Beke has said that Craig Revel Horwood's early "brutal" comments on Strictly Come Dancing "destroyed" contestants, and that such remarks would be unacceptable on today's television.
Reflecting on more than two decades with the show, Anton began his on-screen career as a professional dancer before joining the judging panel in 2021. He discussed the evolving judging panel and their approach to celebrity contestants, explaining why Craig has remained on the show for so long despite his harsh comments.
A Harsh Start for the Show
Strictly launched in 2004 with judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Arlene Phillips and Craig, with Craig being the only original judge left alongside Anton, Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse. In his autobiography, Steps in Time: The Moments that Made Me, Anton says the judging could be "brutal", singling Craig out in particular.
He argues that comments once delivered on prime-time TV would today be viewed as completely unacceptable, and that if Craig still spoke that way, he would be "struck off". Anton recalls Craig making remarks as severe as telling contestants they were "an embarrassment" to themselves and their family, stressing these were not throwaway lines but statements aimed at "a real human being on national television".
An Evolving Persona
"Can you imagine that now? As you can see when you go back and watch some of it, the effect it had on people, just destroyed by it, thank goodness we've all moved on," he said.
Anton insists the version of Craig audiences see is not the same as the man he knows away from the cameras. Describing him as "very clever" for creating a judging persona, he compared it to the kind of performative identities associated with figures like Mrs Merton or Dame Edna. "It's a role, so it can evolve. And it has evolved, beautifully, over the years," he wrote.
In Anton's view, that ability to adapt is exactly why Craig has endured on the show, while others from that era didn't last because they couldn't move with the programme as expectations changed.
Craig's Own Acknowledgment
Craig has previously acknowledged the shift himself, saying he changed his style because he feared being labelled a bully. Looking back, he said some of his older comments feel "cutting" and "really harsh".
He also pointed to how the show has changed in another way - the standard of celebrity contestants. "They're much more talented now that they used to be. Back then, we had snooker players and politicians, and it was pretty tough on people who couldn't dance," he added. "I was very direct. I do still say what's wrong, but you can wrap the truth in a nice way."
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday at 6.25pm on BBC One.
