Strictly Come Dancing star Craig Revel Horwood has responded to one big change from the show, with the judge admitting he has altered his style of critique.
The judge has been a stalwart on the BBC show throughout its two-decade run, with his often harsh barbs and extravagant wording being a feature of his stint.
With fans and stars preparing for the quarter-final of the 22nd series on Saturday (November 30), Craig spoke with the RadioTimes about his time on the show, sharing that he has softened in recent years.
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“I have changed my style of judging,” he explained. “I was really harsh 20 years ago. When I look back, I think, ‘Ooh, that’s cutting.’ It would now be classed as bullying, and then I’d be cancelled. [But the kinder persona is] not [for the] fear of being cancelled.
“It’s just, how can I reach out to them and help them to improve, rather than just saying, ‘This is wrong, that’s wrong.’ I’m thinking more like a teacher than a judge [these days]. If the standard is low, I really haven’t got anything to say except what’s wrong with it."
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Further reflecting on how the calibre of dancing talent on the show has changed over the years, Craig said this also helps factor into his less harsh criticism nowadays.
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“This series there’s been an awful lot that’s right with everything. They’re much more talented now than they used to be. Back then, we had snooker players and politicians, and it was pretty tough on people who couldn’t dance. I was very direct.
"I do still say what’s wrong, but you can wrap the truth in a nice way.”
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
