Acid tongued Craig Revel Horwood savages early Strictly 2023 favourites

13 September 2023 , 15:04

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Acid tongued Craig Revel Horwood savages early Strictly 2023 favourites

Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has brutally attacked the favourite contestants of the 2023 competition by savaging their dance skills.

The 58-year-old dance expert has been a judge on the long-running BBC dance competition since it began way back in 2004 and is back to cast his eye over all the waltzing, fox trotting and twirling for the 2023 contest. But while EastEnders star Bobby Brazier and former Love Island contestant Zara McDermott have already been singled out as the bookies favourites, Craig thinks Strictly fans shouldn’t be too fast to place money on them going far.

The acid tongued star - who has been a fan favourite on Strictly thanks to his withering putdowns and snarky comments - doesn’t have high expectations for either 20-year-old Bobby or 26-year-old Zara. And he is more than happy to take aim at the duo ahead of the new series starting this coming weekend.

Opening up to Best Magazine, Craig wasted no time in giving his honest opinion about the 2023 Strictly line-up. He told the magazine that he isn't holding out much hope for current bookmakers' favourites Bobby or Zara - and thinks Les Dennis will be the biggest surprise of the season.

Craig Revel Horwood has lashed out at the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 favourites (BBC)

Craig said: "Les Dennis is going to be hilarious, isn't he? My prediction is that he'll surprise people, and that EastEnders' Bobby Brazier will have two left feet. Ex-Love Islander Zara McDermott I feel might be a bit awkward, too. Time will tell!" Reports have already suggested that Bobby and Zara have shown most promise in early rehearsals - with the Strictly professionals said to have been arguing over who got to be partners with them.

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While Craig will take his seat on the judging panel again when Strictly returns to BBC One on Saturday night, he has dropped the shock bombshell that he plans to quit the series after the 2024 season. He told Best that he wants to “hang up my shoes and enjoy life” once he hits his 60th year - which is now less than two years away. Opening up further on his plans to retire, he continued: “I’m working hard while I can, especially as I love what I do. It keeps me on my toes, darlings!

“I'm now the same age as the late, great Len Goodman was when he first started - that's scary, isn't it?! The reason I look forward to it every year is because the cast changes. I think that's what's fun about it, it doesn't age. And this year's line-up is fab-u-lous!"

Craig has low expectations for Bobby Brazier (BBC/Ray Burmiston)

Craig has also panned Zara McDermott's skills (BBC/Ray Burmiston)

Len was an original judge on Strictly, featuring on the show from season one in 2004 until 2016. The former dancer arguably did double the work of his fellow judges as he was also a head judge on the American version of the show - which is titled Dancing With The Stars. He appeared on the American series from 2005, flying back and forth across the Atlantic to judge on both shows.

He continued to feature on Dancing With The Stars after he stepped away from Strictly - choosing the US series as his main focus in 2016. He went on to continue to feature on the judging panel until season 31 of the show - which aired last year.

Len sadly passed away in April this year three days before his 79th birthday and after a brave battle against bone cancer. Fellow Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli, 67, paid tribute to Len via social media as news of his sad death broke. Bruno wrote: "Heart broken my dear friend and partner for 19 years the one and only ballroom legend #lengoodman passed away. I will treasure the memory of our incredible adventures and hundreds of shows we did together @bbcstrictly @dancingwiththestars there will never be anyone like you we will miss you."

Mirror.co.uk