STRICTLY Come Dancing’s sharp-tongued judge Craig Revel Horwood hasn’t minced his words after revealing his BBC show “arch enemy.”
The BBC TV star, 59, candidly opened up on the bad blood – after previously branding the professional dancer in question “bow legged.”
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Aussie-born dancer and choreographer Craig has starred on the Strictly Come Dancing panel since the show hit screens 20 years ago.
He has now opened up on his feud, which was sparked during a screen test for the iconic Saturday night series.
He told Radio Times how he was tasked with judging one couple in the initial 2004 cohort for a screen test.
And when BBC newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky and Aussie dancer Brendan Cole appeared, he was less than impressed.
He told the publication: “‘I said, “She can hardly walk down the stairs, and the professional has the bowest legs I’ve ever seen'”
Craig added: “By the end of that series it was nail-bitingly exciting.
“It won the hearts and minds of a nation.
“As for Brendan, we really were archenemies.
“He was very mouthy and he’d say, ‘Oh, what would you know?’
“So I secretly studied ballroom with Len’s [late Strictly judge Len Goodman] wife Sue, because knowledge is power.”
Craig started his career as a dancer in Melbourne and moved to the UK in 1989.
Lasting fury
It isn’t the sole time Craig has taken aim at Brendan.
Back in 2018, Brendan enjoyed a waltz with now-Queen Camilla Parker-Bowles at Buckingham Palace.
BBC chiefs and show judges were raging after the bold dancer ignored an official briefing and asked her for a twirl.
The Sun then revealed judges on the show — including Craig — were raging that Brendan took matters into his own hands.
A Strictly source said: “It was the last straw, they saw he couldn’t be controlled.”
In the Cole-d
Meanwhile, Strictly pro Brendan was no stranger to controversy during his time on the series.
He won with Natasha back in 2004 yet was sacked in 2018.
In an emotional interview on ITV’s Lorraine show, he confirmed that his contract with the BBC was not renewed and he would no longer be a part of the TV talent series.
The Sun Online then revealed the panel forced bosses to drop the dancer following his on-air spat with new head judge at the time, Shirley Ballas.
It was reported Brendan’s attitude towards Shirley – who remains on the show – was fuelled by the fact she got the job of head judge and he didn’t.
Back then, an insider told us: “It was the final nail in his coffin. That was the moment when they decided they’d had enough.
“The judges felt he was putting her down publicly and he thought he knew better than the head judge.
“They thought it was totally disrespectful.”
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