Strictly same sex couples ‘next year’
● Judge Craig Revel Horwood says there’s ‘no reason’ for it not to happen
Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has predicted there will be same sex couples on the show next year.
His comments came after th ebb cs aid over the weekend that there were“no plans” to make the move.
Revell Horwood said: “In the world of competition there are same-sex couples. So there’s no reason why that can’t happen.
“The Beeb have to decide whether they want to do that one year. I think it will probably happen next year.”
Craig Revel Horwood has said the BBC should introduce same-sex couples on Strictly Come Dancing – and predicted it will happen next year.
His comments came after the BBC said that there were “no plans” to make the move on the TV show.
The acid-tongued judge said he hoped it would happen, perhaps as early as next year.
He said yesterday: “I hope so, I really hope so. In the world of competition there are samesex couples...
“So there’s no reason why that can’t happen.
“The Beeb have to decide whether they want to do that one year. I think it will probably happen next year.
“If you consider the tango was originally danced between two men anyway... It’s powerful, explosive, and the same can happen between two women.
“There’s nothing wrong, I mean you can get married now can’t you. It’s very appre- ciated with the community. It’s great to celebrate anyone’s sexuality.
“It’s not just about sex, it’s about dancing.”
His comments also come as contestant the Rev Richard Coles argued it made “no sense” that anyone would resist having dancers of the same gender taking to the floor together in the hit programme.
Coles, who was one half of the 1980s band the Communards, is in a same-sex marriage.
He has been paired to dance with Dianne Buswell, but told Digital Spy he had “a discussion” with bosses on the show about having same-sex couples taking part.
Fellow contestant Susan Calman, who is a lesbian, had been criticised on social media for not having a female professional partner.
But the Scottish comedian wrote on Twitter: “I wanted to dance with a man.
“I am not being held hostage by the BBC.
“I’m still well gay and proud of it.”
She added later: “I did think about dancing with a woman, but from the very first moment when I was asked about the show I said I wanted to dance with a man.”
Speaking about the comments made on social media, she said: “People can criticise me all they want, but I’ve worked tirelessly for LGBT equality my whole life and right now I would like to dance and bring entertainment to people by dancing on a Saturday night.
“Dancing’s not necessarily about sex; it’s acting. When I do a sexy tango with my partner I’ll be acting and, fundamentally, I’ve watched the show for years and I want to learn how to dance.”
A spokeswoman for the BBC confirmed there were no plans to change the format.
“Strictly has chosen the traditional format of mixed-sex couples and at the moment we have no plans to introduce same-sex couples in the competition.”
This year’s series launched on Saturday with a tribute to former host Bruce Forsyth.
The show’s presenter Tess Daly broke down in tears during the show.
The planned piece saw the programme’s professional dancers fill the stage with a beautiful ballroom dance to Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon – which Sir Bruce once famously sang on the Strictly stage.
The competition will begin when Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC 1 in two weeks
“The tango was originally danced between two men anyway... It’s powerful, explosive, and the same can happen between two women”
CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD