Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood says he would have been the ‘wrong’ choice for head judge

Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood has revealed he feels he would have been the “wrong” choice to head up the judging panel on the ballroom dancing show.

Earlier in the year it was announced that Shirley Ballas would be stepping into head judge Len Goodman’s shoes.

And though many tipped long-time Strictly star Revel Horwood to replace Goodman, in an interview with Radio Times, the dancer and choreographer insists he has no hard feelings towards his new colleague.

Known for being the harshest judge on the show’s panel, Revel Horwood admitted that he felt the position wouldn’t fit with his personality.

"It would have been wrong for me because I would have had to become a smiley mediator which isn’t in my nature,” he told the publication.

He also revealed that financial reasons discouraged him from the role and said he didn’t think his colleagues, pro dancers Anton Du Beke or Brendan Cole would have been a good fit either, commenting:

"Besides, you don’t get any more money. Anyway, it’s best that it’s someone viewers have no pre-conceived ideas about, unlike Anton or Brendan."

The judge went on to call for the Strictly results to be made public to stop claims of fixing after the furore around Ed Balls’ departure from last year’s show. But he confessed this might prove tricky for the celebrities involved.

"I only wish they’d make the figures from the phone vote public, to stop any talk of the show being fixed."

"But if one celeb gets 13 million votes and another gets two votes, it might not go down well..."

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One later this year.