Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood ‘shocked and blown away by Amanda Abbington rehearsal tape’ as he takes swipe at Giovanni
CRAIG Revel Horwood has revealed he’s seen Strictly rehearsal tapes of Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington and admitted “I was shocked and blown away”.
The judge addressed the crisis behind the scenes on the BBC dance competition and begged for the investigation to “find the truth”.
Sherlock actress Amanda, 50, lodged a complaint about Giovanni, 33, after quitting Strictly last year.
She later accused Gio of blocking the rehearsal tapes that she insisted proved he had bullied her, which he has always denied.
Craig, 59, today spoke out on “the huge story” on This Morning and told presenters Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle: “I knew nothing. The judges are very separate. When the story erupted and came out in the press I was shocked like all the other judges … I couldn’t quite believe it.
“We meet the pros and we meet the celebs on occassion throughout the show but we’re very separate. We’re on level two, for example, and we’re ushered along, for obvious reasons. We have nothing to do whatsoever with their training or how they get to that point on a Saturday night.
“I just want the investigation to be over so I can find out myself, the truth.
“Because I have nothing really to say, it’s really hard to pass judgement or comment, ‘he said this she said that’.”
Asked if he had seen the footage that Amanda claimed Giovanni had blocked from being released, Craig said: “Of and I was blown away by the whole situation.”
Craig added: “So you were shocked?
“Yeah, completely and utterly shocked by the whole situation,” he said.
Craig said he hoped that the BBC were “doing enough” to fix the crisis-hit show, adding: “I really hope so.
“It’s a serious issue, and for the future of Strictly, I hope so.”
Craig also welcomed the move to introduce chaperones into Strictly rehearsals rooms.
He continued: “I think chaperones are a good idea, it’s just that one extra eye.”
The dancer and choreographer said professional ballroom dancers are trained to “within an inch of their life” from a young age – but celebrities come from a different world.
He said: “Like an Olympian, you don’t become an Olympian without someone telling you what is wrong with your training.
“But you have to remember Strictly is not the Olympics, it’s a bunch of celebs learning to dance from scratch by amazing pros, who have been training since they were three within an inch of their lives.
“So you are putting two completely different worlds together.”