For five years, Craig Revel Horwood and former professional dancer Anton Du Beke have sat side by side on the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel, dishing out scores and – in Craig’s case – withering put-downs. The teasing, eyerolls and bickering between them has long been part of the show’s appeal. Off camera, the friendship runs just as deep.
It’s a bond, they insist, built on near-total disagreement. “We have different opinions on just about every subject known to man,” says Craig, 61. “But that’s made us really good mates. We never stop talking. We’ve been having conversations in the back of cars for the last 10 years, at least.”
New Podcast Venture
So strong is their chemistry, they are now channelling it into a new podcast, Judgemental, in which the pair sit down over a cream tea and thrash out listeners’ dilemmas on everything from weddings to fashion and workplace dramas.
Anton, 59, relishes their wildly opposing views. “It’s that lovely thing when you know somebody so well, and you’ve been together for so long,” he says. “We’re of a similar vintage, we’re similar in many ways, but we’re also hugely different so we give different opinions. I’m always seeking advice from Craig, so I love that we’re doing this together.”
Career-Changing Advice
Craig’s advice once changed the course of Anton’s career. In 2011, as Top Hat was being prepared for its West End debut, Anton was offered the lead role of Jerry Travers – but it clashed with other commitments.
“I was in two minds about what to do. I turned to Craig for advice and he gave me the best advice I’ve ever received. We are where we are now because of that,” admits Anton. “Craig said, ‘Unless you can do it like this, I probably wouldn’t do it.’ So I took his advice – much to the annoyance of the producer, and rightly so as it was the 11th hour. But it was the correct thing at the time. Now I trust Craig implicitly.”
Areas of Disagreement
But for every shared passion, there’s a battleground. “I can’t stand golf, but Anton loves it,” Craig laughs. “He’ll bring his clubs on tour, taking up the entire car. It’s a nightmare!” Fashion is another. “Anton dresses like a pensioner, and I dress like an 18-year-old.”
Even the cream tea central to the podcast sparks debate. Craig is jam first, cream second – Anton is the other way round. “No, no,” Craig protests. “The jam will slip off the cream!”
Strictly Come Dancing Changes
Their new venture comes at a time of huge change for Strictly. Longtime hosts Tess Daly, 57, and Claudia Winkleman, 54, stepped down in 2025, and the BBC has confirmed a fresh trio to replace them – TV presenter Emma Willis, 50, comedian Josh Widdicombe, 43, and Strictly pro dancer Johannes Radebe, 39.
“It’s a new beginning. It’s going to be exciting,” says Anton, who joined the judging panel in 2021 after being a pro dancer since 2004. “Then we’ll have the new celebrities on top. There’s a lot going on, but it’ll be great.”
Anton believes the shake-up helps keep the show “fresh”, while its enduring success lies in the fact that it’s layered. “You can like it for any reason – the music, costumes, judges,” he says. “It’s live, it’s real, it’s physical. And the audience at home get their say. We call them the fifth judge – I think they’re more important than the actual judges, because they choose the winner.”
Personal Lives
Outside work, they’re just as busy. Craig is planning his wedding to horticulturist Jonathan Myring. The pair, who got engaged in 2020, have pushed it back due to renovations at their Northamptonshire home. “We were meant to be getting married in 2025, then 2026, then 2027 – but the house isn’t going to be built. We’ve decided on 2028,” says Craig.
Unsurprisingly, he has strong views on how the wedding should run – chiefly, no speeches. “I think they should be banned,” he says. “Why bore everyone with a best man speech that’s never funny?” For their first dance, he’s plotting a flash mob.
Anton, who has nine-year-old twins George and Henrietta with his wife, marketing executive Hannah Summers, turns 60 next month. It’s a sore subject. “I don’t think about ageing and I’m not planning a party,” he says. “I’m going to go into a dark room until it’s over.”
Craig is having none of it. “I had a music festival for my 60th. It was brilliant,” he says. “To hide away, thinking you’re old is not right. A lot of people don’t get to 60, so it’s good to celebrate.” He wants Anton to host a big bash, with one condition: “I want a free bar. Anton doesn’t drink, so he’ll make us pay!”
Judgemental, a Rayo Original podcast, launched on 9 June – new episodes every Tuesday. Available on the Rayo app, Apple, Amazon Music, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
