Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood has 'gone soft' claims former pro as they eye up judge role

A former favourite from Strictly Come Dancing has suggested that Craig Revel Horwood, the notoriously stern judge, isn't quite as tough as he once was on the hit BBC One series.

Craig, aged 59, is renowned for his stringent scoring and reluctance to dish out top marks on Strictly, only doing so when a performance truly wows him. He currently judges alongside Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke.

Yet, Erin Boag, who graced the dance floor in the show's first ten seasons, believes that although Craig remains the most critical judge, he has mellowed with time.

Erin also shared her thoughts on a potential comeback to the show, expressing a preference for a judging role rather than returning as a professional dancer, reports the Express.

Speaking on behalf of Slingo, Erin said: "I'm a little upset that Craig seems to have gone soft on them. He's still the harshest of the judges but, compared to what he used to be, I miss all those little digs. He doesn't give out 10s still, but Craig Revel Horwood has gone soft."

As she entertained the idea of sitting alongside Craig at the judges' table, she added: "Of course I would go back as a judge. I don't know if I'd want to be a professional on the show now because it's not just Blackpool but everything else that goes along with it, it takes up a lot of time and life changes as you get older. As a different role, of course. Not a role that would take up every second of my life."

Despite noticing a softer side to Craig, Erin commended him for his forthrightness on Strictly, remarking: "Craig is the only one who really speaks the truth. You need that on a show like Strictly, and you need that more. I wish the world wasn't so proper, get on with it. You are competing, it is an entertainment show. You can't expect to get good comments all the time, especially if you go out there and you don't dance well."

Erin shared that she remains in close touch with Anton, her former professional dance partner. She noted that he approaches the contestants without bias on Strictly, concentrating solely on their dancing prowess.

She mentioned her regular conversations with Anton but clarified that she doesn't delve into his preferences on the show.

She said: "I often speak to him, not really about his choices, because I don't like to pry into that. The obvious doesn't matter, he doesn't judge people's characteristics, and puts it all aside. It's about the dancing and what he sees in front of him."

Erin also expressed her view on the current culture surrounding public speech, adding: "Unfortunately, we are in a world where you have to watch what you say. It takes one sentence and you're gone. They will be highly trained, the judges, on what they can and can't say. I'm sure they've all got their notes, what we would like is to have a look at the notebooks!"

Strictly Come Dancing returns this Saturday at 7.05pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.