CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD: “I LOVE BEING BOOED!”

W hile most enter tainers expect a cheer when they walk out on stage, Craig Revel Hor wood is hoping to be met by a chorus of boos in panto this year – the louder the better!

“That’s the objective,” laughs Craig, who is used to upsetting audiences with his frank comments on Strictly Come Dancing. “I always play the villain, so if I don’t get booed I’m not doing my job. The louder the boos, the better the performance!

“I’ve been typecast as the baddie – totally against character!” he complains, with his tongue firmly in his cheek. “It’s the same on Strictly. I can hold up a seven and get booed, and then Motsi will hold up a seven and get cheered!”

This year Craig is playing the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre.

The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour star ts immediately after wards and then Craig will spend three more months on tour with his one-man show All Balls And Glitter. He’s also releasing an album of duets and a Christmas single. He explains, “I prefer being busy to sitting at home twiddling my thumbs.”

In fact Craig is so incredibly busy that his wedding to his fiancé, hor ticulturist Jonathan Myring, isn’t scheduled until the year after next!

“There’s no time to get married next year, so we’ve booked it in for August 2023,” he explains. “You have to. So many weddings could not go ahead during the pandemic that you can’t get a marquee, darling! They’re fully booked!”

Craig and Jonathan have recently moved from Hampshire to the Midlands to be closer to Jonathan’s family and friends.

Craig explains, “We’ve bought somewhere near Rutland Water, which is lovely. He’ll be 20 minutes from his family and five minutes from his friends.

“Because I’ve got a ver y busy year next year and I’m going to be away on tour, he will need that family and suppor t.”

Don’t tell anyone, but Craig clearly does have a hear t after all!