I’ve had to ditch my ‘catty’ Strictly judging style or I’d be branded a bully and cancelled, says Craig Revel Horwood

STRICTLY’S Craig Revel Horwood has admitted canning his catty comments towards personage dancers implicit fears helium volition beryllium cancelled.

The justice of 20 years gave a uncommon 10 people connected Saturday and says helium has toned down his Mr Nasty enactment pursuing the Giovanni Pernice bullying scandal.

The Aussie star, 59, has binned his barbs for kinder words for contestants successful this year’s series.

Viewers person already noticed his softer broadside and connected Saturday helium gave a cleanable “10” people — to immense elation.

His caller attack comes successful the aftermath of the Giovanni Pernice-Amanda Abbington bullying probe, and Graziano Di Prima’s axe for appearing to footwear Zara McDermott.

Craig said: “I person changed my benignant of judging.

“I was truly harsh 20 years ago.

“When I look back, I think, ‘Ooh, that’s ­cutting.’

“I bash inactive accidental what’s wrong, but you tin wrapper the information successful a bully way.

“It’s however tin I scope retired to them and assistance them to improve, alternatively than conscionable ­saying, ‘This is wrong, that’s wrong’.

“I’m reasoning much similar a teacher than a judge.”

On Saturday Craig initially stayed stony-faced erstwhile helium gave a “10” to Love Islander Tasha Ghouri and pro Aljaz Skorjanec, arsenic they landed the archetypal ­perfect 40 of the bid for their American Smooth to Lewis Capaldi’s Someone You Loved.

Craig yet broke into a grin arsenic helium was hugged by judges Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas alongside Anton Du Beke.

Craig, a justice for 20 years, erstwhile revelled successful his relation arsenic the BBC show’s pantomime villain — and would regularly person decease threats.

Among his past catty comments, helium told broadcaster Jeremy Vine that helium danced “like a stork that had been struck by lightning.”

He gleefully informed erstwhile Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that she “limped astir similar you were mislaid astatine a enactment somewhere, drunk”.

Craig adjacent went for pal and then-dancer Anton for “awful fake teeth helium was wearing” — earlier realising they were Anton’s own.

In 2018 Craig besides gave Anton and manner writer Susannah Constantine the lowest imaginable “1” people for a routine.

The Aussie has utilized the “1” paddle much than immoderate different judge, and said helium would person scored immoderate contestants “0” had the paddle been available.

But speaking to the Radio Times, helium says of the newer celebs: “They’re overmuch much talented present than they utilized to be.

“Back past it was beauteous pugnacious connected radical who couldn’t dance.

“I was precise direct.”

Head justice Shirley, 64, has opened up successful the past astir hatred comments from viewers who disagree with her critique.

She astir discontinue successful 2022 arsenic she struggled with online trolls.

Shirley revealed: “Once it starts steamrolling, it goes adjacent further, and past it gets personal, astir your being and however you look.”

But Craig has ne'er cared astir immoderate backlash and plans 1 time to people immoderate of the worst comments aimed astatine him.

He added: “I think, ‘Wonderful, that’s a superb 1 for the book.’

“I’ve been keeping each these comments and alleged decease threats from radical who person 5 followers and nary creation knowledge, and I’m going to shame them.”

Fans should not interest he’s changed excessively much, arsenic helium admits he’ll ne'er play excessively nice.

Craig said: “I’m not determination for their emotions.

“I don’t attraction however it affects them successful that way, due to the fact that they request to larn and respect my opinion.”

Anton, who switched from dancer to justice successful 2021, agrees that helium got “the worst” of Craig’s acerb tongue.

Asked if his pal had ever upset him, Anton reasoned: “No.

“It was harsher successful the aged days and Craig couldn’t get distant with it now.”

Motsi, 43, and Shirley person besides admitted diluting their feedback successful caller years.

Motsi said: “I would ne'er privation idiosyncratic to consciousness successful immoderate mode shamed oregon belittled.”

Shirley added: “I mightiness deliberation I’m going to accidental 1 thing, past I spot that they person struggled oregon made mistakes.”

After Giovanni quit the amusement amid an probe into his attraction of Amanda, and pursuing Graziano’s axe, the BBC brought successful measures including chaperones successful the grooming country to support each parties.

Craig believes the pros’ tendency to triumph is embedded successful their DNA.

He said: “These dancers are satellite champions.

“They’ve been taught decently to win, and the lone mode you’re going to execute that is by idiosyncratic driving you.

“You can’t conscionable alteration that overnight.”

Craig added: “Celebrities are delicate due to the fact that they’re successful the nationalist domain.

“They’ve got reputations to support and don’t privation to beryllium seen looking stupid.

“So it’s astir having idiosyncratic determination successful the country and guarding some the personage and the professional.

“They inactive request to beryllium pushed, due to the fact that we can’t get distant from the information that dancing is hard, but it’s a airy amusement programme arsenic well.”

The BBC’s probe into Giovanni cleared him of 10 retired of 16 allegations.

Six were upheld, including bullying and harassment.

The study concluded that Giovanni was not abusive to Amanda, did not marque threats and was not intimidating.

But it did find moments of “inappropriate behaviour of intersexual banter successful the workplace” positive usage of curse words and “belittling, dismissive and insulting” language.

Graziano has vowed to wide his sanction aft grooming country footage suggested helium had kicked Zara during the 2023 series.