Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood has admitted he is “shocked” to see Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly quit Strictly.
Craig appeared on Loose Women today, as panelist Oti Mabuse also grew emotional as she discussed the stars’ exit.
Craig Revel Horwood talks Tess and Claudia’s Strictly exit
Speaking on Loose Women today (Thursday, October 23), Craig said that he only found out that Tess and Claudia were leaving at the same time as everyone else – when it was posted on social media!
“Ten o’clock this morning I found out, like everyone else!” he said. He explained how the news popped up on his smart watch, leaving him stunned.
“I was shocked,” he then added. When asked who he spoke to first after hearing the news, Craig said: “My manager.”
“I was sad, you know. I really loved them. And, I mean, obviously, I have been working on the show since the beginning with the gorgeous Tess, since May 2004, and it’s the end of an era,” he said.
‘Bittersweet’
“But I know that people need to move on,” he continued.
“I get that. I wish them all the luck and everything, every good wish in the world, because I’m just going to love seeing this out now until Christmas,” he said.
Oti Mabuse then added that it’s going to be “bittersweet”.
“Yeah. But I celebrate people moving on. I mean, we do it in the theatre all the time. I think it’s always a good thing as well, personally, for people to move on, so I know people will be saying that about me,” he then said.
However, he quickly shut down any rumours of an exit, saying that after his “little stint” as head judge on Sunday, “I got a little bit of a taste for that”.
When asked if he’d ever put his name forward as a presenter, Craig said: “Probably not. I think that’s where you might come in,” he told Oti. “I think you and Alan Carr together would be perfect.”
Strictly star Oti Mabuse emotional as she addresses Tess and Claudia’s exit
Earlier in the show, Oti Mabuse grew teary-eyed as she spoke about Tess and Claudia leaving the show.
Oti admitted that she’d had to have her make-up re-done as she’d “started crying” after hearing the news.
“It’s a big deal. I think, as someone who loves the show and has been a part of it, Claudia and Tess have been the queens. You know, two women, side by side, just really defending each other, protecting each other, and they care!
“When you know them as people, they check on you. ‘How are you?’ ‘How’s your child?’ ‘How’s your husband?’ ‘How’s your family?’ And this feels like the end of an era for me. Genuinely. They are my Saturday night, they are the moms that take care of us. They lead the show so impeccably well, and I think a shame.”
Oti then admitted it had come out of “nowhere”, and both she and her sister Motsi had been left stunned into silence by the news.
“I wish them luck. It breaks my heart because I absolutely love them, they made the show, and I just wish them the best,” she then added.
Strictly continues on Saturday, October 25 at 6.25pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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