Craig Revel Horwood says Strictly was "too late" on same-sex pairings
Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has said the BBC One show was "too late" on same-sex pairings.
Nicola Adams and pro Katya Jones were the show's first same-sex couple in 2020, and last year Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin finished as runners-up to the Glitterball trophy.
Speaking to Radio Times, Craig said: "I think we did it one year too late. I wish we’d been braver sooner, but we’re there now.
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"Viewers are more open-minded than we give them credit for. Some people will kick up a stink initially, then suddenly they’re fine with it, and that’s how we change the world – from the persecution of gay men to two men dancing on national television."
Speaking about the decision to have same-sex pairings, Charlotte Moore, chief content officer of the BBC, added: "We were very clear that Strictly was about the ballroom dancing world, which we were trying to hold true to, but I think there was a moment where we thought, 'Why would we not do this?'
"It made total sense and has become the norm. I don’t think there was resistance so much as, 'When’s the right timing?'
"Our audience is very sophisticated and savvy. They get to know the contestants; they learn with them; they become inspired by them.
"That’s how we break through those boundaries of any kind of bias anyone has. It’s about educating and informing, but never in a heavy way. I always say that when Strictly’s on, everything is good in the world."
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Craig has also recently opened up about his concerns when he was first pitched Strictly.
"They explained that celebrities would be learning to dance in three weeks, and I said, 'That's impossible, that sounds like car-crash television'," he said.
"By the end of that series it was nail-bitingly exciting," he added, noting that the show "won the hearts and minds of a nation".
Strictly Come Dancing will return later this year on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Tickets for Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals live tour are available now.
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