Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood likened to TV icon after image transformation

Strictly Come Dancing viewers had to bash a treble instrumentality erstwhile they archetypal caught a glimpse of Craig Revel Horwood successful tonight’s motorboat show.

In fact, they thought helium was idiosyncratic else.

The BBC bid shimmied its mode backmost onto our screens this play for a 20th-anniversary season, arsenic did judges Craig, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke.

Jamie Borthwick, Shayne Ward, Tasha Ghouri, Pete Wicks, Chris McCausland, Sam Quek, Toyah Willcox, Wynne Evans, and much are each portion of the formed arsenic a full caller line-up of celebrities vie for the glitterball trophy – portion taking connected feedback from the unpredictable panel.

Strictly is known for giving its stars makeovers, dousing them successful fake tan, sequins, and sparkles, but it was Craig who rocked a antithetic quality erstwhile helium returned to his spot down the array for different stint arsenic Mr Nasty.

Craig, 59, ever looks perfectly polished and sports an awesome quiff, however, audiences aren’t utilized to seeing him with a beard.

Debuting his caller facial hair, the Australian-British choreographer was dapper successful a achromatic suit and bow tie, teamed with a crisp achromatic shirt.

Even big Tess Daly pointed it out, saying: ‘Craig, I americium loving the caller look! Very nice!’

Taking to X to remark connected Craig’s beard, audiences noted however akin helium looks to the expertly groomed Rylan Clark.

SuzeHopper1 tweeted: ‘I deliberation Craig really suits the beard. I’m astir apt gonna support getting him and Rylan mixed up though’.

‘Oh, has Rylan replaced Craig connected the judging panel?’, asked JackieA954

‘Omg Craig has gone each Rylan !’, wrote debsuffolk, portion AmandaL08485312 agreed: ‘Craig looks similar he’s cosplaying Rylan with that beard’.

User taylorwthelays complimented the divisive justice for ‘rocking’ the beard and a stunned SophieSharpie exclaimed that helium looks ‘brand new’.

Ahead of the caller series, Craig spoke retired astir the ‘bullying’ accusations that person plagued Strictly.

Giovanni Pernice was axed arsenic a nonrecreational after 2023 prima Amanda Abbington accused him of ‘toxic’ and ‘cruel’ behaviour, portion Graziano Di Prima allegedly kicked Zara McDermott successful rehearsals.

Both Italian dancers person denied the allegations against them which prompted an interior investigation by the BBC, with findings yet to beryllium published.

Chaperones person besides been introduced to show training, arsenic good arsenic payment staff.

Craig admitted that the accusations were a ‘shock’ to him, revealing helium recovered retired ‘like everybody else’ arsenic helium work the press.

‘For me, it’s a shock, and quality to me, due to the fact that the judges are ne'er contiguous astatine immoderate of the teaching, we virtually travel successful connected a Saturday and conscionable justice what we spot earlier us,’ helium told BBC Radio Wales.

‘So we’re kept very, precise abstracted to the remainder of the company,’ helium added, having been a justice connected each bid since 2004.

‘For us, it’s implicit news. Every time that I work astir thing I deliberation “That can’t beryllium right”.’

He past emphasised that helium had ‘nothing to do’ with the accusations: ‘I’ll hold and spot what happens with the investigations, but surely we person thing to bash with that.’

Craig, celebrated for giving celebs a tongue-lashing and debased scores aft their performances, aboriginal insisted that the pros person to beryllium ‘strict’ successful practice.

‘I anticipation the standards don’t driblet this year,’ helium said.

‘When I’m teaching casts for shows successful rehearsals, I inactive person to beryllium rather strict. I deliberation you person to be.

‘Can you ideate an Olympian getting golden with his oregon her trainer not being strict?’

He continued: ‘As acold arsenic saying, “Oh, that was truly bad, you request to effort it again”, I’m not gonna outcry implicit that.

‘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 added to The Sun.

Strictly Come Dancing airs each Saturday and Sunday connected BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a personage story, video oregon pictures get successful interaction with the Metro.co.uk amusement squad by emailing america [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 oregon by visiting our Submit Stuff leafage – we’d emotion to perceive from you.

MORE : Anton Du Beke wants Giovanni Pernice ‘back connected Strictly’ arsenic BBC probe results loom

MORE : Giovanni Pernice having ‘horrendous’ clip aft Strictly Come Dancing maltreatment claims