6<\/p>\n Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood has taken aim at his co-stars, insisting he is the only judge that mattersCredit: PA 6<\/p>\n Judge Craig blasted Shirley Ballas, 64, Anton Du Beke, 58,\u00a0and Motsi MabuseCredit: PA 6<\/p>\n Original head judge Len Goodman, who was also slammed, with Bruno TonioliCredit: Rex<\/p>\n In a comment writing off original head judge Len Goodman<\/a> and axed Arlene Phillips<\/a>, acid-tongued Craig said: \u201cThere is no other judge. I created it. They are either dead or have been sacked.\u201d<\/p>\n Playing up to his notoriety, he added: \u201cI get booed heavily but I enjoy playing the villain.\u201d<\/p>\n It came as uncertainty grew over the future of some of the long-standing stars on the show.<\/p>\n Craig, a Strictly<\/a> veteran of\u00a0 21 years, was pulling no punches on the first night of his\u00a0UK tour, Revelations: Songs Boys Don\u2019t Sing.<\/p>\n He joked that his comments about Len, who died in 2023<\/a> aged 78, and Arlene, 81, who was axed in 2009, and the later judges would help him sell tickets for the show.<\/p>\n Craig laughed: \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Craig, paid around \u00a3200,000 a year for Strictly, went on to rap the\u00a0 Beeb<\/a> for making him\u00a0change the name of his\u00a0third autobiography.<\/p>\n He was barred from calling it Strictly Confidential because it used the word Strictly and had to make do with In Strictest Confidence.<\/p>\n Cruel Craig has form for laying into\u00a0 co-stars and in a book tour in 2018 he accused Strictly judge Tess Daly, 56, of asking\u00a0 \u201cdull questions\u201d.<\/p>\n He also had a dig at Shirley\u2019s breasts, saying: \u201cI am not joking. Her boobs were \u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009 hanging out. It was not very, erm, Strictly.\u201d<\/p>\n Strictly star furious as they\u2019re ditched from big-money car deal over racy online pics<\/p>\n Last year, he admitted that he had toned down his judging style as it would not be allowed today.<\/p>\n He said:\u00a0\u201cI was really harsh 20 years ago. When I look back, I think, \u2018Ooh, that\u2019s cutting\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would now be classed as bullying, and then I\u2019d be cancelled.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, professional dancers Gorka M\u00e1rquez<\/a>, 34,\u00a0Nadiya Bychkova<\/a>, 35,\u00a0and Johannes Radebe<\/a>, 37, could be\u00a0purged from the show.<\/p>\n They joined in\u00a0 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.<\/p>\n It comes as younger dancers, including Jowita Przystal<\/a>, 30, and Nikita Kuzmin<\/a>, 27, have dazzled Beeb executives.<\/p>\n 6<\/p>\n Pro dancer Nadiya Bychkova could be purged from the dance contestCredit: BBC<\/p>\n Spaniard Gorka, who is engaged to ex-contestant Gemma Atkinson<\/a>, 40, has said he hates being away for his Manchester<\/a>-based family for six months a year to film\u00a0Strictly.<\/p>\n South African Johannes has been busy touring\u00a0as the lead role in Kinky Boots The Musical and has been inundated with offers.<\/p>\n Ukrainian Nadiya, who split from fellow professional dancer Kai Widdrington<\/a>, 29, last summer, has not been a major feature of the show in recent years.<\/p>\n A telly source said: \u201cThere could be a huge shake up.<\/p>\n \u201cGorka wants to spend more time with his family and really dislikes being away from his two young children.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0 also had a series of injuries in recent years.<\/p>\n \u201cJohannes has become a huge breakout star in his own right and has received some huge, lucrative work offers.<\/p>\n \u201cBasically, that\u00a0 means he might not have time for Strictly any more because it just doesn\u2019t make financial sense.<\/p>\n \u201cNadiya hasn\u2019t lasted long in the competition in recent years and wasn\u2019t given a partner at all a few years ago, so it might be that she has come to the end of the road.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Strictly troupe is constantly being reviewed as there is always fresh blood and new talent to replace the fading stars.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a two-way street as well because some of the dancers are ready to move on.<\/p>\n \u201cNone of them took part in the recent Strictly tour. They\u00a0 pursued their own projects instead.\u201d<\/p>\n A BBC spokesman said last night: \u201cWe will announce the pros for 2025 in due course.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Craig](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/rob-parfitt-bbc-pa-wire-932189709.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Strictly](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/rob-parfitt-bbc-pa-wire-932189759.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Len](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/943020b4-58a4-449f-97c8-ac5afea9226b.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Nadiya](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01hrs-saturday-21st-september-2024-934455242.jpg\")
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![\"Gorka](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/strictly-come-dancing-generics-no-683106133.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Johannes](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01-13-10-2020-612855492.jpg\")
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