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‘AS LONG AS I CAN BOSS HER ABOUT’:

Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood would love to see Arlene Phillips back on the panel

But the choreographer also told the Loose Women that bringing in a fresh face would also be a good move

Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood said he would love to see Arlene Phillips back on the judging panel

STRICTLY Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has said he would love to see Arlene Phillips back on the show’s panel – as long as he can boss her about.
The choreographer was a guest on Loose Women this afternoon and the subject of who would replace judge Len Goodman when he leaves at the end of this current series was raised.

 Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood said he would love to see Arlene Phillips back on the judging panel
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Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood said he would love to see Arlene Phillips back on the judging panelCredit: ITV

And he said: “I love Arlene Phillips and I do miss her from the programme and would have no gripe with her coming back on as long as I can boss her about.”
This flies in the face of what former Strictly dancer Ola Jordan revealed earlier this month in her new book when she said Craig slagged off his fellow judges during a drunken rant aboard a P&O cruise organised by BBC bosses.

 Arlene was a judge on the show from 2004 to 2009
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Arlene was a judge on the show from 2004 to 2009Credit: BBC

She alleged that Craig branded Len Goodman “a boring old man” and Arlene Phillips “s*** at her job”.
Craig also told the Loose Women panel that maybe an unknown would be the best bet and added: “I think a fresh new face, and someone from the ballroom and Latin world – I think that’s really, really important.

 He told the Loose Women panel that an unknown would also be good to replace Len Goodman
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He told the Loose Women panel that an unknown would also be good to replace Len GoodmanCredit: ITV

“I don’t want the job, I don’t want to be head judge, I would have to be a mediator and that’s not in my nature, I like playing the part I play darling.”
Craig, who has been on the show since it began in 2004, also gave his verdict on this year’s celebrity contestants so far and said despite Ed Balls’ low odds, he thinks he’ll be ok because “he’s got the gift of the gab”.

He added that politicians always manage to drum up support and said: “Look at Anne Widdecombe. She couldn’t dance a step, darling, but she got to week 11.”
He also joked that he thought he was a lot more polite than he usually is on last week’s show and said: “They’ve trained for three weeks, why be vile to them on the very first show? Next week I’ll be tougher.”

 Craig said Louise Redknapp was one to watch this series
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Craig said Louise Redknapp was one to watch this seriesCredit: BBC

He said he’s yet to pick a winner but added: “Louise Redknapp is absolutely fantastic and just taking one look at her I felt safe and confident that she was going to deliver a fantastic dance.”
He added that he thought the same about Danny Mac and said he is “spectacular” but then said: “Has he blown it too early? The people than can actually get those sort of results in week one, generally then plane out.”

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