Strictly Come Dancing has returned following another fantastic season, and Craig Revel Horwood has observed that viewers are quite enthusiastic.
The judge compared the Strictly tour’s supporters to Beatlemania in the 1960s, when fans screamed and were ecstatic to see the band.
He has noted that people are flocking to locations outside of the stadiums where they perform in front of thousands to meet the show’s stars, which include winners Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola, finalists Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin, Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell.
‘They [fans] pack out the foyers and all sorts. It is amazing,’ revealed Craig.
He added that they’ve taken precautions to the Mirror: ‘They’re not allowed near our rooms – we have security. But people are obsessed with the show.’
Craig even found that fans got excited when he attended an ABBA event but has learnt to go with the flow.
‘It was like I was Benny or Bjorn. You can’t control it. You just have to sort of go, “OK, I’ll do this, stop pushing, you’ll all get your turn”.
‘It has been 20 years, so I’m sort of used to it. And I’m not Madonna or Cher… It could be worse,’ he acknowledged.
Craig had his 59th birthday earlier this month, which means that in less than a year, he expects to sit more and dance less.
‘I want to hang up my dance shoes after 60, which means I’m not going to be going on stage.
‘Sitting, holding paddles from one to four, is a lovely retirement, so I’ll stay with it until I’m dragged out of there, darling.’
Hopefully, for the cast of Strictly 2024 and beyond, he has not forgotten about five to ten paddles.
He also mentioned that he is now the same age as Len Goodman was when he first appeared on Strictly, which he finds’mad’.
The Strictly touring group, which includes Craig’s colleagues judges Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke, has apparently been partying like pop stars as well!
Following opening night on Friday, they got their groove on at Birmingham’s Malmaison hotel until 3am after a three-course meal, claims The Sun.
‘The hotel bar had completely closed and all of the guests were in bed but they were still going at 3am,’ an onlooker told the publication.
‘They didn’t have a DJ but made the most of the party by plugging their phone into the wall, playing music and dancing around that.’
Before the tour began, Ellie, 22, and Bobby, 20, went for a cheeky Nando’s before Ellie clarified their relationship status.