Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has taken a swipe at his co-stars, claiming he is the only judge that matters. The 60-year-old coreographer blasted Shirley Ballas, 64, Anton Du Beke, 58, and Motsi Mabuse, 43 as he insisted he was the reason for the show’s continuing success. He also made a sly dig at original head judge Len Goodman, who died aged 78 in 2023, and axed judge Arlene Phillips, 81, declaring: “There is no other judge. I created it. They are either dead or have been sacked. I get booed heavily but I enjoy playing the villain,” he said on the first night of his UK tour, Revelations: Songs Boys Don’t Sing.

The acid tongued star went on to claim his remarks were a deliberate attempt to garner publicity for his show. “We are going to be in the news. We need it as this is the beginning of the tour and we need to sell the tour,” he quipped.

His scathing remarks were defended by former celebrity contestant Angela Rippon, 80, who appeared on the show in 2023 becoming its oldest ever participant. She insisted on GB News he is the “biggest sweetie” she said she can “see where he is coming from.”

“Actually, having having met Craig and having known him for many years, he is the biggest sweetie in the world. He is not the Wicked Witch of the North, which he sets out to be on Strictly.

“And I think I can see where he’s coming from on what he said, because he is the one that they always boo, because he is the judge who always says this is what is wrong with someone’s performance.

“And the whole point of having a judge on the programmes, really, is to say to people who are dancing ‘this is what you’re not getting quite right. If you were to improve that you would be better.’ Shirley is actually very good at doing that as well. But there is a tendency sometimes for the judges just to sort of say, ‘Oh, that was absolutely wonderful, darlings.’

“He likes to be controversial, and he’s certainly done that as far as the front page of the paper is concerned today, and maybe more people will go to see him. And he does have that sort of character on air as being a baddie. But I promise you, he is the sweetest guy. The kindest, loveliest, most fun person,” she said to co-host Stephen Dixon.

This isn’t the first time Craig has made disparaging remarks about his co-stars. During a 2018 book tour he accused Strictly presetner Tess Daly, 56, of asking “dull questions”.

He also made pithy remarks about Shirley Ballas’ breasts, saying: “I am not joking. Her boobs were… hanging out. It was not very, erm, Strictly.”

Craig, recieves around £200,000 a year for his role on the show and has is the only original judge left having been on the show for its entire 21 years.

Despite his long association with the programme he claimed the BBC made him change the name of his third autobiography. He was barred from calling it Strictly Confidential because it used the word Strictly and had to adjust it to In Strictest Confidence.