Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has sparked controversy by thanking BBC licence fee payers for his lavish lifestyle, which includes a £2 million eight-bedroom mansion in Northamptonshire. The outspoken star, 61, made the comments during the launch of his new tour, Revelations - Songs Boys Don't Sing, at Chequer Mead Theatre in East Grinstead.
Gratitude to Licence Fee Payers
Speaking to an audience of 330 fans, Horwood said: "If I am 'nice' I won't make any money, darling. But it has worked out rather well. I have got an eight bedroom mansion with a swimming pool. My dressing box at home is one room … thanks to all your wonderful TV licences." The judge, who earns £200,000 a year from Strictly, bought the property in King's Cliffe, Northamptonshire, in 2021.
Fear of US Show
Horwood also revealed he has turned down opportunities to appear on the US version of Strictly, Dancing With The Stars, citing fears for his safety. He likened himself to murdered Beatle John Lennon, saying: "I have never done Dancing With The Stars. No, thank God. I think I would be like Lennon and get shot. Don't you think? There are so many guns over there darling, I don't think I'd like to."
He claimed he was put on standby for the US show when fellow judges Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli joined, but was relieved it didn't work out. "You have to make a decision in life, whether that is all you want to do. They were doing two series a year and I have a glittering career on the stage as a director and choreographer, so I did not want to give that up," he explained.
Wedding Delays and Renovations
Horwood also revealed that his wedding to fiancé Jonathan Myring, 39, has been postponed due to the cost of renovating his home. The couple have been engaged for several years after meeting backstage on the Strictly live tour in 2018. "We are still not married. We have been engaged for years and years and years. Something keeps stopping our wedding. I don't know why. I think it might be to do with money as I am doing a renno," he said. He hopes to marry in 2027 once the house is finished, with Australian cabaret artist Alison Jiear conducting the ceremony.
Last year, Horwood secured planning permission for a luxury party terrace with a spa and hot tub, despite objections from neighbours concerned about noise. He also gained approval for a large entrance hall, gym, master bedroom, butler's kitchen, wine store, and snug.
Feud with Jan Ravens
Horwood recalled a past altercation with impressionist Jan Ravens, who was eliminated from Strictly in 2006. He claimed her husband, Universal Music vice president Max Hole, confronted him in the BBC bar after her departure. "Jan Ravens thought it was my fault that she went out. She came up to me when she got ousted. It was the audience that voted her out, not me thank you very much. She came up to me and said 'this is all your fault'. And then her husband bashed me up at the BBC bar that night," Horwood said.
Favourite Celebrities
Despite the drama, Horwood praised several former contestants, including cricketer Mark Ramprakash, politician Anne Widdecombe, and singers Alesha Dixon and Rose Ayling-Ellis. He described Ramprakash as "really bad until a Saturday" but said he "switched on and was fantastic" on show night.
Future Plans
Horwood is currently touring his one-man show until the end of June and will return to Dancing With The Stars in Australia next year, allowing him to visit his 84-year-old mother, who has survived two bouts of cancer. He is also working on a new musical titled NOW That's What I Call A Musical, focusing on 1990s music.
