Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood responded very simply when he was asked about the current drama surrounding the TV show.
Craig was on BBC Breakfast today (Thursday, August 1) when he was asked about the ongoing scandal.
Craig Revel Horwood on Strictly drama
This morning saw Craig appear on BBC Breakfast.
The 59-year-old dancer was on the show to talk about the new Now That’s What I Call Music musical, which he has done the choreography for.
However, the conversation inevitably turned to Strictly. In fact, Naga Munchetty kicked off the interview by asking about it.
“Listen, can we just go straight in before we talk about what you’re doing?” she asked. “Let’s talk about what’s going on at Strictly.”
“Strictly, yes,” Craig said. “Well, that was a shock for me,” he said in a short five-word statement about the ongoing scandal.
“What was a shock?” Naga pushed. “Well, just finding out what was happening at Strictly,” Craig replied.
“Are you talking about the allegations…?” Naga asked. “Yeah, the allegations,” Craig said.
“I was completely gobsmacked by the whole thing.”
‘The judges are kept very separate to the pros’
Craig then continued, revealing that he found out about the allegations when the press revealed them.
“Because, of course, the judges are all kept very separate to all the contestants and all the pros,” he explained. “And the only time we ever see each other is in passing when we’re going to the studio.
“So we never really get an opportunity to find out what happens in the rehearsal room, and it’s not really part of our jobs,” he then said.
Speaking of his own dance training, he admitted it was “tough”.
“I had a Russian ballet dancer who had a cane and she would whack us with it,” he said.
“Obviously that sort of teaching would not be available today. Things have changed,” he then said.
Chaperones ‘a good thing’
The Strictly judge then went on to say that he thinks it’s a “good thing” that the BBC will ensure that there are chaperones in the rehearsal rooms going forward.
“I think it’s a good thing to have a third eye on the whole situation,” he said.
The BBC announced that there would be chaperones in every rehearsal room going forward following bullying allegations aimed at some of the pros.
Read more: Giovanni Pernice’s ex ‘signs up’ for Strictly but fans ‘will be irked she’s a pro dancer’
Strictly returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year. BBC Breakfast airs daily from 6am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
So what do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.