A past favourite from Strictly Come Dancing has recently claimed that Craig Revel Horwood has lost his notorious edge, making him ‘soft’ on the hit BBC One programme compared to his former self.
Craig, 59, is well-known for setting a high bar on Strictly, seldom dishing out top marks unless a performance really knocks his socks off. He shares judging duties with Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke these days.
Yet pro dancer Erin Boag, who strutted her stuff on the first ten runs of Strictly, reckons Craig, while still the panel’s toughest critic, isn’t quite as biting as he used to be.
Further discussing a potential comeback to the dance floor, Erin confessed she’d fancy a seat at the judges’ table rather than returning as a dance pro on the series, reports the Express.
Speaking on behalf of Slingo, Erin said: “I’m a little upset that Craig seems to have gone soft on them. He’s still the harshest of the judges but, compared to what he used to be, I miss all those little digs. He doesn’t give out 10s still, but Craig Revel Horwood has gone soft.”
Speaking of her aspirations to join the judges, she added: “Of course I would go back as a judge. I don’t know if I’d want to be a professional on the show now because it’s not just Blackpool but everything else that goes along with it, it takes up a lot of time and life changes as you get older. As a different role, of course. Not a role that would take up every second of my life.”
Despite her view that Craig has mellowed, Erin still commended him for being candid on Strictly. The dancer stated: “Craig is the only one who really speaks the truth. You need that on a show like Strictly, and you need that more. I wish the world wasn’t so proper, get on with it. You are competing, it is an entertainment show. You can’t expect to get good comments all the time, especially if you go out there and you don’t dance well.”
Erin shared that she keeps in touch with Anton, with whom she often partnered professionally. She believes he maintains impartiality on Strictly, never letting personal preferences cloud his judgment.
“I often speak to him, not really about his choices, because I don’t like to pry into that. The obvious doesn’t matter, he doesn’t judge people’s characteristics, and puts it all aside. It’s about the dancing and what he sees in front of him,” Erin remarked.
She lamented the current climate where everyone must guard their words carefully. Erin suggested that the judges are well-prepped on acceptable commentary, saying: “Unfortunately, we are in a world where you have to watch what you say. It takes one sentence and you’re gone. They will be highly trained, the judges, on what they can and can’t say. I’m sure they’ve all got their notes, what we would like is to have a look at the notebooks!”
Strictly Come Dancing returns this Saturday at 7.05pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.