Strictly Come Dancing judge admits past comments ‘bullied’ contestants

Strictly Come Dancing justice Craig Revel Horwood has admitted his past benignant of judging was ‘cutting and bullying’.

The 59-year-old has appeared arsenic a justice connected the long-running BBC bid since its premiere successful 2004.

But passim his clip connected the amusement Craig has developed a estimation for his harsh comments and often faces heckling from the workplace assemblage for his feedback.

He’s besides fixed a people of 1 much clip than anyone other connected the panel.

However he’s present spoken astir making a conscious determination to crockery retired kinder comments to celebrities and their nonrecreational creation partners.

‘I person changed my benignant of judging. I was truly harsh 20 years ago. When I look back, I think, “Ooh, that’s cutting”. It would present beryllium classed arsenic bullying, and past I’d beryllium cancelled,’ helium said.

Speaking astir not taking specified a hard-line attack anymore, Craig explained his thinking.

‘It’s not fearfulness of being cancelled. It’s just, 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,’ helium continued erstwhile speaking to the Radio Times.

‘If the modular is low, I truly haven’t got thing to accidental but what’s incorrect with it. But this bid there’s been an atrocious batch that’s close with everything.’

Speaking astir the existent harvest of contestants, Craig said they were ‘much much talented present than they utilized to be’.

‘Back then, we had snooker players and politicians, and it was beauteous pugnacious connected radical who couldn’t dance. I was precise direct. I bash inactive accidental what’s wrong, but you tin wrapper the information successful a bully way,’ helium added.

However Craig did accidental helium had nary qualms being harsh should it beryllium required, saying helium is ‘not there’ for the dancers emotions and they needed to ‘learn and respect my opinion’.

Over the years Craig has faced important trolling connected societal media and has said he’s kept ‘all these comments and alleged decease threats’, joking helium was acceptable to shame them successful a publication 1 day,

The justice said helium viewed it ‘all arsenic a cartoon’ and took purpose astatine the trolls, who helium said ‘have 5 followers, nary creation cognition and can’t drawstring a condemnation together’.

Over the years immoderate of Craig’s astir brutal quips person included telling Ann Widdecombe successful 2010 that she was a ‘dancing hippo’.

Five years aboriginal helium told Jeremy Vine helium danced ‘like a stork that had been struck by lightning’ and erstwhile Home Secretary Jacqui Smith that she ‘limped astir similar you were mislaid astatine a enactment determination drunk’.

Earlier this year, successful the midst of the maltreatment allegations clouding the series, Craig said helium hoped the ‘standards didn’t driblet this year’ and pro dancers would inactive beryllium consenting to criticise their partners.

‘You conscionable person to beryllium capable to instrumentality immoderate criticism. Otherwise, we’re surviving successful a satellite wherever nary 1 is criticised, and it volition go watered down and vanilla, wherever nary one’s trying,’ helium said erstwhile speaking to The Sun.

Strictly Come Dancing continues connected Saturday astatine 7.05pm connected BBC One.

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