Celebrities on Strictly ‘should be able to take criticism’, says Craig Revel Horwood
Celebrities on Strictly Come Dancing “should be able to take criticism”, Craig Revel Horwood has said.
The show’s longest-serving judge also warned that the series risked becoming “vanilla” and suggested that sometimes the professionals are bullied by “demanding” celebrities in the wider theatre world.
Ahead of the start of the new series next month, Revel Horwood said: “I hope the standards don’t drop this year.”
Strictly is facing the biggest crisis in its history, following allegations that Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, both professional dancers on the show, mistreated contestants during rehearsals.
Amanda Abbington, the actress who pulled out of last year’s series, has accused Pernice of “threatening and abusive behaviour” and said she has suffered mild post-traumatic stress disorder from working with him.
He denies any wrongdoing and an investigation into him continues.
The BBC sacked Di Prima in June after he allegedly “hit, kicked and spat” on contestant Zara McDermott, the Love Island star, during rehearsals.
He has said he “deeply regrets” the events that led to his departure.
Revel Horwood told The Sun: “As far as saying, ‘Oh, that was really bad, you need to try it again,’ I’m not gonna cry over that.
“You just have to be able to take some criticism. Otherwise, we’re living in a world where no one is criticised, and it will become watered down and vanilla, where no one’s trying.”
Revel Horwood, who has been a judge on Strictly since the show started in 2004, said he would not have made it as a dancer without criticism, saying that if the same methods applied in his training were used in a Strictly rehearsal room, “you’ll be sued”.
He added: “There are a lot of celebrities who have never been through dance training before, but you ask any dancer what it’s like, and they will say it’s tough.
“But there has to be a limit and there also has to be communication and an understanding between the celeb and the pro.”
Revel Horwood said he approved of the introduction of chaperones in rehearsal rooms.
He added: “Everyone must be protected, including the teachers, because it can happen the other way around, and no one is taking that into account at all. And that does happen.
“I can’t speak for Strictly, because I’m never in the rehearsal room with them, but certainly in the theatre, celebrities can get on their high horse and become demanding.”
The celebrities in the new series include Toyah Willcox, the actress and singer, Jamie Borthwick, the actor, and Tom Dean, the Olympic swimmer.
