Strictly sorry
Judge forced to apologise for crude jibe that left Stacey’s mother in tears
AS Strictly’s Mr Nasty, Craig Revel Horwood is a master of the withering put-down.
But he has been forced to apologise after going too far with a dig at last year’s winner, Stacey Dooley, that left her mother in tears.
During filming for the launch show of the new series on Friday the waspish judge reportedly suggested that if celebrity contestants wanted to win the show they should sleep with their professional partners.
He made the comments after Miss Dooley and her dance partner last year, Kevin Clifton – who is now her boyfriend – performed for an audience that included her mother, Di.
BBC presenter Miss Dooley, 32, began dating Clifton following her Strictly win and breaking up from her former boyfriend, personal trainer Sam Tucknott, 30, with whom she was in a five-year relationship.
Revel Horwood allegedly put his foot in it after being asked by Strictly host Tess Daly what this year’s celebrity contestants should expect from the show. He is said to have replied that they could learn from reigning champion Miss Dooley, before quipping: ‘Of course, if you sleep with your dance partner that helps...’
The remarks are said to have left the audience and studio crew stunned, and filming was stopped. Clifton, 36, was reportedly furious, and Miss Dooley’s mother fled weeping.
Revel Horwood, 54, was reprimanded by producers and apologised for the ‘hurtful’ jibe, which will not be screened in the launch show next week. In a public apology, he said: ‘I’m deeply sorry for the offence caused to Kevin and Stacey and everyone who works on the show.’
The judge told The Sun: ‘I recognise that what I said was hurtful, cruel and incredibly disrespectful.
‘It was a huge error of judgment that I very much regret.’
Miss Dooley and Clifton had returned to Strictly Come Dancing for a one-off performance after winning the Glitterball trophy last year. The launch show will be broadcast on Saturday.
Speaking in July about Clifton, who has been married three times, Miss Dooley said they had decided to keep their relationship as private as possible, adding: ‘Kev and I have agreed not to go into too much detail about our private lives because you can’t really indulge that and then ask for privacy.’