Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has revealed that the atmosphere backstage has “changed” since Nigel Harman’s shock exit.
The Casualty actor quit the show on Saturday night, just hours before the live quarter-finals due to sustaining an injury in training.
The 50-year-old was paired up with Katya Jones on the show and was to perform a Charleston to Step In Time, from the Disney film Mary Poppins.
Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood has now spoken out about the backstage dynamics ahead of the show’s semi-finals.
The 50-year-old told Best magazine: “Claudia’s like The Mothership right now, making the celebs laugh and giving out hugs.”
“Tess, too – but she’s more calming. They work well to prepare the nervous couples before they go on. It’s also gone quiet, backstage – there aren’t many pairs left, everyone’s focused on the prize.”
Craig’s comments come after Nigel’s sudden exit on Saturday night.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed the news, in a short statement made to their Instagram: “Unfortunately Nigel has sustained an injury which means he is unable to perform in tonight’s show and has had to withdraw from Strictly.”
The 50-year-olds’ withdrawal meant that there was no elimination last week, instead the remaining celebrities – Ellie Leach, Annabel Croft, Layton Williams and Bobby Brazier – automatically went through to the semi-finals.
Their departure is the second shock exit of the series after Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice withdrew from the competition on medical grounds.
