Watch out Craig, you upset New York Giant
STRICTLY’S Craig Revel Horwood may be feeling a touch down about his criticism of American Football star Jason Bell.
Because the judge ended up enraging a sleeping Giant… in every sense.
Jason’s retired NFL pal Osi Umenyiora – who is 6ft 3in and 20st – was so annoyed by Craig’s comments last week that he said he’d be “coming to the show” to tackle the “surly individual”.
And the former star of the New York Giants said of Craig: “He better not let me see him.”
The double Superbowl winner told how he was loving his pal’s fancy footwork with pro-partner Luba Mushtuk on Strictly’s opening night.
FLATTENED
Speaking on The Jason & Osi podcast, he said: “I’m watching you and seeing you smiling and doing your thing and I’m like, ‘ Wow, Jason is killing it’.”
But his enjoyment of his pal’s American Smooth footwork to The Temptations’ My Girl was flattened when Craig said: “I wasn’t fond, I have to admit. The Jackson 5 sort of thing going into foxtrot didn’t really do it for me.”
Perhaps Craig could now do with the kind of hopeful play they call a Hail Mary in the NFL to wriggle out of this one.
A stunned
Osi, 38, said: “I’m listening to this guy, Craig or whatever his name is, and he’s just a surly individual. Nothing he said makes sense to me.
“This guy is a bonafide hater and he is hating on my man J Bell because you’re having the time of your life dancing. “You brought everyone up and he’s like, ‘ I didn’t like this, I didn’t like that’. What are you talking about, Craig?
“He better not let me see him, Jason, I’m coming to the show.”
Jason, 42, made history this year as the first NFL player to grace the Strictly floor.
And although he wasn’t an instant hit with Craig, the other judges were more taken with his moves. Motsi Mabuse said: “From now on, I’m going to call you Jason Joy, because you spread the joy. I can feel it all through your face and movements.”
Shirley Ballas added: “I think you gave 100%. Your footwork was absolutely fantastic.”
Craig, 55, gave Jason – an ex-cornerback with the Giants, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans – a four. But Shirley and Motsi scored him six, placing Jason and Luba seventh on the leaderboard.
But it didn’t dampen Jason’s spirits. He said: “I had the time of my life. It was so fun just being out there.” Jason, who has a six- year- old daughter called Anaiya with Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle, is now an NFL pundit for BBC Spor t alongside Osi.
YELLOW FELLOW
Ranvir
Singh says her son is a huge fan of one
Strictly star - but it’s not her.
The Good Morning Britain host says Tushaan, eight, looks up to her dance partner Giovanni Pernice, who is his idol. Ranvir, 43, said: “He totally adores Giovanni, so it’s less about the dancing. He’s more about Giovanni and how good-looking he is. It’s, ‘Look at his hair, his earrings, his tattoos…’.”
Shirley
Ballas went commando to land the head judge job on Strictly.
Shirley, 60, who replaced Len Goodman in the top spot in 2017, said that when she did her second dance audition, an ice pack she was wearing on her back leaked, forcing her to go without undies.
Shirley said: “That wet pack thing dribbled into my knickers. I had to
take them off.”
HANDS OFF Maisie Smith and Gorka
HAVING FUN
BOX OFFICE Nicola Adams with partner Katya Jones