Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel-Horwood has opened up about a role that he had behind the scenes, which fans may not have been aware of
Ahead of the Strictly Come Dancing launch show on Saturday, Craig Revel Horwood, the show’s longest-serving judge, has revealed a secret role that flips the dynamic between the judge and contestants.
When the judges were asked if they had one stand-out moment from last year’s series, Craig said his pick was when he got to coach Chris McCausland in the final. As seen in the episode, each of the judges coached one of the couples for their first dance, and Craig was paired with Chris and his partner, Dianne Buswell. But the judge has now revealed that while most of the series is spent with the contestants getting tips from judges, this moment allows the judges to learn from the contestants, too.
“My standout moment was when I coached Chris McCausland ahead of the final,” Craig said. “I then discovered how difficult it was for him throughout the series. He taught me things I didn’t know after spending time with him.”
The dance in question was Chris and Dianne’s Couple’s Choice to Instant Karma by John Lennon. The dance included a section where all the lights in the studio were turned off so that viewers could get a glimpse of what it is like to be blind like Chris. Craig wasn’t the only judge to talk about Chris in their answer. In fact, all the other judges also highlighted Chris’ involvement with the show as a standout moment.
Head judge Shirley Ballas said his waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone was “simply phenomenal”. “Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell’s Waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone will forever be etched in my heart. I often take myself back to that moment, seeing Chris waltz. That partnership was something else, and Dianne’s teaching throughout the series was simply phenomenal.”
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Motsi Mabuse also chose the same waltz. “It gave us goosebumps. It was just incredible,” she said. “The emotion, the connection, the way the story came across – that’s what Strictly is all about. It was one of those performances that stays with you long after the music stops.”
Anton Du Beke, who was first a pro dancer and took over as a judge following the departure of Bruno Tonioli, put it more simply: “For me it was anything that Chris did. He was just fantastic, in every single dance.”
Craig was also asked how it felt to be coming back to the show for another series, given he’s been there with his judge’s paddles since the start. “This is my 21st year on the show and it’s been absolutely amazing,” he said. “Every year still manages to surprise me.
“People often ask if I ever get bored, and I say no! Each year brings a completely new cast, and that’s the beauty of Strictly. With a new cast comes a whole new energ,y and this year in particular, I think we’ve got some incredible celebrities.”
This year’s contestants include a wide variety of celebrities, including Ellie Goldstein, the first Strictly contestant to have Down Syndrome, and La Voix, the first drag queen to compete on a full series of the show. The cast also includes Emmerdale’s Lewis Cope, who stepped in at the last minute after Game of Thrones’ Kristian Nairn pulled out of the show.
Strictly Come Dancing starts again on BBC 1 on 20 September.
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