Craig Revel Horwood says complaints about same sex pairs on Strictly Come Dancing are “ridiculous”.
This year has seen Strictly welcome its first same sex celebrity and professional couple which Craig says is “about time”.
Appearing on ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show alongside fellow judge Motsi Mabuse, he explains: “It’s fantastic. I’ve been waving this flag for five years, I really have tried to get same-sex couples on there. A lot of people are averse to it.
“People dance together, you just have to decide who is going backward at any one time.”
Craig adds: “There was that huge furore as well when two pro boys danced together – all these huge complaints apparently – which was absolutely ridiculous.
“It’s about time and I think it’s absolutely brilliant, I really do.”
Motsi went on to say about this year’s pairing between boxer Nicola Adams and professional Katya Jones: “I wouldn’t judge them differently. For me, let me say I think it’s about time that we’ve got some inclusiveness in the show.
“They’re [Katya and Nicola] having fun and dancing is dancing…if she [Nicola] doesn’t straighten her knees it doesn’t matter what she likes, or what she doesn’t like, she needs to straighten her knees in cha-cha.”
Motsi added: “Honestly to judge them the same, not to make a difference, everyone’s the same… to be on that fair base of judging. I love the fact that they are actually dancing well.
“Where I live right now in Germany, they had a same sex couple [on their show], but she didn’t dance so well. It was like ‘hi’ and ‘bye…’. But they’re [Katya and Nicola] dancing well so we might keep them for a while and I’m happy.”
The Jonathan Ross Show airs Saturday 7 November at 10:30PM on ITV.
Also on the show, Craig reveals how Strictly is working amid the new lockdown.
He shares: “The judges are further apart. We don’t get to communicate like we used to. I mean I have no clue what is actually coming out of your mouth [Motsi] – I never have – but you are a long way away.
“We’re also very segregated. Only one person on a stairwell… we don’t get to meet anyone. Normally I would meet and greet some of the celebs… I don’t go near them. It’s a good excuse really to maintain my character of authority. I quite like it actually, the seas part as I walk down the stairs, and it’s nothing to do with my breath.”
