Craig Revel Horwood
Craig Revel Horwood (born 4 January 1965[citation needed]) is an Australian-British author, dancer, choreographer, conductor, theatre director, and former drag queen in the United Kingdom. He is also a patron of the Royal Osteoporosis Society.[1]
Craig Revel Horwood | |
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Horwood in 2008 | |
| Born | Craig Revel Horwood 4 January 1965 |
| Citizenship |
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| Occupations |
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| Spouse | Jane Horwood (m. 1990; div. 1992) |
| Partner(s) | Jonathan Myring (2018–present; engaged) |
Horwood is best known as a judge on the popular BBC dancing series Strictly Come Dancing, and until 13 November 2021, as he tested positive for COVID-19 and missed the following week's show, had been the only judge to have appeared in every edition since its inception.[2] He is often seen performing ballroom and Latin routines including, in 2019, a performance themed around Hello, Dolly!.[3]
Horwood has a waxwork in Madame Tussauds Blackpool which has been on display since July 2018.[4]
On 20 July 2021, Horwood was given an Honorary Doctor of Arts by the University of Winchester at Winchester Cathedral.[5]
Early life and family edit
Horwood was born in Ballarat in Victoria, Australia on 4 January 1965. His father Phil was a former Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant whose alcoholism had "torn their family apart".[6][7] He started his career as a dancer in Melbourne, then moved to London to take advantage of the greater opportunities available there and to dance competitively. In 1989, he moved to the UK from Australia, and on 20 August 2011,[8] he became a British citizen.[9]
Revel is Horwood's middle name; it is not double-barrelled.[10] In his autobiography, Horwood reveals that at the age of 17, he made money by appearing as a drag queen in bars and clubs and that his relationship with an unnamed celebrity was akin to prostitution.[11]
Career edit
Theatre edit
West End and UK edit
Horwood's West End credits include Spend Spend Spend and My One and Only, both of which gained Laurence Olivier Award nominations[12] for Best Choreography.[13] He was associate director and choreographer of West Side Story, assisted Bob Avian with Martin Guerre[14] and was resident director of Miss Saigon.[15] He choreographed Hard Times – The Musical,[16] Calamity Jane,[17] Tommy Cooper – Jus' Like That[18] and the play Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, starring Claire Bloom and Billy Zane at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket.[19] He also directed and choreographed Beautiful and Damned.[20] He directed the Welsh Première Concert Production of My Land's Shore for the Gate Theatre in Cardiff.[21] During the summer of 2008, he directed a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Sunset Boulevard at the Watermill Theatre, which transferred to London's West End at the Comedy Theatre.[22]
Horwood directed and choreographed the 2010–11 UK and Canadian tour of Chess, a revival of the 1986 musical conceived and written by Tim Rice, with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA).[23] He has directed the UK Tour of Strictly Come Dancing since 2012.[24] He then starred as Miss Hannigan in the UK touring production of Annie[25] in 2015, 2019, 2023 and also the West End (in 2017) at the Piccadilly Theatre.[26]
Regional theatre choreography credits include Pal Joey,[27] Arcadia, On the Razzle and My One and Only[28] at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Guys and Dolls in Sheffield, Anything Goes and South Pacific for Grange Park Opera and Hot Mikado at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury.[29]
Horwood directed and choreographed the UK tour of musical Sister Act from 2016 to 2017;[30] and in 2017 he directed and choreographed the UK tour of Son of a Preacher Man, a new musical featuring the music of Dusty Springfield.[31] He directed Strictly Ballroom the Musical which was due to tour the UK from September 2020, but got pushed back to September 2022 due to COVID-19.[32]
Special Events
Horwood directed the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester[33] and staged Once Upon a Time – The Life of Hans Christian Andersen, a live concert in Copenhagen to mark the author's bicentenary.[34]
Pantomime edit
In December 2009, Horwood played the part of the Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at Venue Cymru in Llandudno, North Wales,[35] a role he reprised in December 2010 at the Hawth in Crawley,[36] and at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford, Kent, alongside Ann Widdecombe in 2011.[37] Then in December 2012, he played the same role at the Swan Theatre in High Wycombe, again alongside Widdecombe[38] and also in December 2013 at the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend.[39] In 2014, 2015 and 2016, Horwood played Captain Hook in Peter Pan at The Orchard Theatre, Dartford,[40] Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe[41] and Churchill Theatre, Bromley.[42]
In December 2017, he played the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton;[43] and in December 2018, he played the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking.[44] In December 2019, Horwood reprised his role as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the Manchester Opera House, Manchester.[45] In December 2021, he once again played the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton alongside Debbie McGee.[46] In December 2022, he played the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella at the Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol.[47]
Solo Tour edit
Horwood embarked on his first solo tour around England, The All Balls and Glitter Tour, talking about his life and performing some of the music that has been the soundtrack to his career. This was due to be during Spring 2020, but due to COVID-19 it was rescheduled for Spring 2022.[48]
Television edit
Strictly Come Dancing edit
Horwood has been a member of the judging panel on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing since its inception in 2004.[49] He has a reputation for being the harshest of the judges and is often the recipient of jeering and booing from the studio audience;[50] he also received criticism for his apparent bias towards Emma Bunton in the fourth series of the competition.[51] Horwood is known for stringently applying rules, as for example when marking down for an 'illegal lift' in some dances if the lady's foot leaves the floor.[52]
Horwood has given a score of "1" more times than any other judge, including as part of the lowest-ever total score of 8 for Quentin Willson, dancing a Cha-cha-cha, in 2004. The routine was also the only ever single-digit score and the only time more than one member of the panel has given a score of "1".[53]
Horwood has become known and imitated for his locutions, which often include exaggeratedly lengthened vowels, including: 'It was a complete dahnce di-sah-ster, dahling' and "Chah-Chah-Chah". These are available as ringtones through Horwood's website, with profits going to the National Osteoporosis Society.[54] Another common utterance is 'Three words: Fab-u-lous!', with the syllables of the word articulated as three separate words. Horwood similarly breaks up the syllables and throws the stress forward to the final syllable for 'A-ma-zing!'[55] To appreciate erotically charged routines, Horwood will declaim 'absolute filth', often immediately followed by '...and I loved it!' Passing judgment on Kimberley Walsh in 2012, Horwood said the dance was 'indecent, improper, absolute filth', and added: 'I loved it.'[56]
Dancing with the Stars edit
Horwood was a judge on Dancing with the Stars in New Zealand, along with Brendan Cole.[57] He was also a judge on the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars for seasons 16 and 17, since its 2019 'revival', along with Sharna Burgess and Tristan MacManus.[58]
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy edit
Horwood became a judge on Comic Relief Does Fame Academy in 2005, along with Lesley Garrett and Richard Park.[59] He and Garrett replaced vocal coaches David Grant and Carrie Grant on the panel; however, the pair still appeared as voice coaches on the series. He returned as a judge for the third series of the Comic Relief edition in 2007.[60]
Other television appearances edit
Horwood appeared in Episode 5 of Series 2 of Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends, during which Theroux investigated the trials and tribulations of struggling New York City actors. In May and June 2007, Horwood appeared as a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef,[61] reaching the final alongside Nadia Sawalha and Midge Ure.
On 15 April 2010, Horwood was the celebrity guest judge on Daily Cooks Challenge. On 13 August that year, he appeared on Would I Lie to You?. During 2011, he guested on Celebrity Juice and Ask Rhod Gilbert. In January 2012, he appeared on BBC television series The Magicians; and for the week beginning 3 September that year, he appeared as a panellist on The Wright Stuff on Channel 5, followed on 22 October by an appearance on ITV's Loose Women. Horwood also appeared on CBBC's television programme 12 Again, talking about his life when he was 12 years old; on 22 February 2013, he appeared on Room 101.[62]
Horwood won the reworked version of the 2008 BBC series Maestro, called Maestro at the Opera; he competed against Josie Lawrence, Marcus du Sautoy and Trevor Nelson. Also appearing were Mark Elder, Danielle de Niese, Alfie Boe and Kiri te Kanawa. The series was partly filmed at London's Royal Opera House,[63] where Horwood, as eventual winner, conducted Act II of La Bohème in late 2012.[64]
Horwood lent his vocals to a single released by other celebrities under tutorage of choirmaster Gareth Malone for the Children in Need charity single of 2014; the choir performed a version of Avicii's "Wake Me Up". On 15 January 2016, he appeared as a panellist on a special edition of ITV's Loose Women (titled "Loose Women and Men") alongside series regulars Andrea McLean and Nadia Sawalha and fellow special hosts Peter Andre and Chris Kamara. He also starred in an edition of Who Do You Think You Are?, broadcast on 13 July 2017, in which he learned about his ancestry and family history.
Horwood also voiced the snake Cornelius in animated series Sadie Sparks, which airs on Disney Channel;[65] and was woken up by Michael McIntyre in the Christmas Midnight Gameshow on Michael McIntyre's Big Christmas Show which aired on Christmas Day 2019.[66]
In 2021, Horwood appeared on The Masked Dancer, masked as Knickerbocker Glory in the Semi-Final; he was the seventh celebrity to be unmasked. In June that same year, it was announced that Craig would be seen joining fellow dancer, judge, presenter and choreographer Bruno Tonioli in Craig and Bruno's Great British Roadtrip; in the series of six half-hour episodes, made by RDF Television for ITV, the pair showcased routes and sights around Britain whilst indulging shared passions for fun, food, dance and classic cars.
Film edit
Horwood choreographed the final scene in Paddington 2 (2017);[67] and made his screen acting debut as Emmanuel Cavendish in Nativity Rocks! (2018).[68]
Music edit
In 2021, Horwood released the single a Christmas single "It's Christmas, Merry Christmas!'" with Rietta Austin, charted at 21 on British iTunes.[69] Horwood announced a duets album with Austin, scheduled for release in 2023.[70]
Publications edit
Horwood has published three autobiographies with Michael O'Mara Books. All Balls and Glitter: My Life in 2008,[71] Tales from the Dance Floor in 2013[72] and In Strictest Confidence in 2018.[73]
In October 2020, Horwood released his first novel with Michael O'Mara Books, entitled Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street; the paperback edition was published in June 2021.[74]
Personal life edit
Horwood was married to Jane Horwood from 1990 to 1992. In December 2014, Horwood informed a reporter from OK! magazine that 'I was bisexual for a long time. I flitted between men and women quite a lot between the ages of 17 and 26. My wife Jane left me for another man. Then I fell in love with a bloke. I have been gay ever since.'[75] His former partner Damon Scott had been a runner up on Britain's Got Talent.
Since early 2018, Horwood has been in a relationship with horticulturist Jonathan Myring.[76] In April 2020 Horwood and Myring announced their engagement.[77] The pair, who met on Tinder, became engaged while in Tasmania.[78]
Horwood became a patron of the Royal Osteoporosis Society in 2009.[79] In this, he has found common ground with Queen Camilla, the Society's Royal patron (whose mother, like his, had bone disease).[80] The two of them danced the cha-cha-cha together, on a school visit to mark National Osteoporosis Day in 2009.[81]
In January 2015, Horwood revealed on ITV's Loose Women that he suffered from anorexia and body dysmorphia as a teenager and young dancer, as a result of trying to make himself look like other young men, and other dancers in particular.[82]
The 14th British series of Who Do You Think You Are? featured Horwood's ancestry in the second episode; in this, his family history research took him home to Australia, where he discovered that his family tree traces to Gloucestershire, Lancashire and Essex in England. Horwood found out that he is not the first dancer in his family, and that he is descended from gold prospectors who went bankrupt before becoming rich on finding a 250-ounce (7.1 kg) gold nugget. He also learned further that his great-great-grandfather, Moses Horwood, who is revealed in the programme to have been a petty criminal from England, was convicted at the Gloucestershire assizes and transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) in 1841. Criminal records identified by TheGenealogist include a transportation document for Moses Horwood, showing he departed England on 1 December 1841 on board a ship called the John Brewer.[83]
In late 2021, Horwood moved to a seven-bedroom property dating back to 1867 in the Northamptonshire village of King's Cliffe. Horwood and Myring plan to marry, in August 2025, at St Matthew's Church, Normanton, at Rutland Water.[84]
References edit
- ^ "President and Ambassadors | Who we are | National Osteoporosis Society". theros.org.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "BBC One – Strictly Come Dancing – Craig Revel Horwood". BBC. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "BBC One – Strictly Come Dancing, Series 17, Week 11, Craig Revel-Horwood leads a group dance to a musical medley from Hello, Dolly!". BBC. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Craig Revel's in new figure!". Madame Tussauds Blackpool | One of Blackpool's Best Attractions. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
- ^ Winchester, University of. "University of Winchester Graduation ceremonies celebrate Class of 2020". University of Winchester. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ "The boozy father, the secret wife, the sugar daddy: The outrageous". Evening Standard. 11 April 2012.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood's father dies". HELLO!. 23 December 2015.
- ^ Ask Rhod Gilbert, 28 September 2011
- ^ 8 out of 10 Cats, 7 October 2011
- ^ STRICTLY COME DANCING – CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD – HERE SHE IS – Season 3 – Episode 1, archived from the original on 12 December 2021, retrieved 23 October 2019
- ^ English, Paul (4 October 2008), "Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood on being attacked in the street", Daily Record, retrieved 14 October 2008
- ^ "BBC One – Strictly Come Dancing – Craig Revel Horwood". BBC. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood". Madame Tussauds Blackpool. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood – Choreographer and director". Craig Revel Horwood. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "BBC – Elaine Paige on Sunday: Craig Revel Horwood Sits In – Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Hard Times – The Musical – Christopher Tookey & Hugh Thomas – The Guide to Musical Theatre". www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Calamity Jane London theatre stage show". www.thisistheatre.com. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Jus' Like That! The Tommy Cooper Story starring Jerome Flynn on stage in London – theatre information and tickets". www.thisistheatre.com. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Accessed 19 December 2011.
- ^ "Full casting announced for Beautiful and Damned". London Theatre Guide. 23 April 2004. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Theatre Wales news 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 19 December 2011.
- ^ Interview with Craig Revel Horwood; it ran from 4 December 2008 to 18 April 2009 at the Comedy Theatre.
- ^ . The Public Reviews. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- ^ Strictly Come Dancing website 7 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 19 December 2011.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood as the Miss Hannigan in Annie – see the first pictures!". HELLO!. 14 September 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Strictly stars join Craig Revel Horwood for Annie West End gala | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ Billington, Michael (11 August 2000). "Theatre review: Nice 'n' sleazy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood All Balls and Glitter debut solo tour announced | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 30 September 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Hot Mikado". The Watermill Theatre. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood talks Sister Act". www.itv.com. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
- ^ "Son of a Preacher Man". Craig Revel Horwood. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
- ^ "Strictly Ballroom the Musical Tour". Strictly Ballroom Tour. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
- ^ "Happy birthday, Craig Revel Horwood!". HELLO!. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood – Choreographer and director". Craig Revel Horwood. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood in Snow White panto at Venue Cymru – Mail Series". Theonlinemail.co.uk. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- ^ . Thesussexnewspaper.com. 16 October 2010. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- ^ "Ann Widdecombe to star in panto". BBC News. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". wycombeswan.co.uk. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ "Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood to star in Southend Cliffs panto". Echo. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ "Interview: Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood can't wait to get stuck into panto in Dartford". News Shopper. 12 November 2014.
- ^ "Peter Pan | Wycombe Swan Theatre | Panto High Wycombe". wycombeswan.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood in Peter Pan at Churchill Theatre Bromley". LondonTheatre1.com. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- ^ "Mayflower Theatre | Southampton | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Mayflower Theatre. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
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- ^ Welsh, Daniel (14 November 2021). "Strictly Come Dancing: 10 Lowest-Scoring Routines Ever". huffingtonpost.co.uk. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
- ^ Ringtones page from Craig Revel Horwood's website. Accessed 24 December 2012.
- ^ Ringtones of Revel Horwood's catchphrases are available. Accessed 15 December 2010. 3 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Louis Smith Wins Full Marks For Topless Showdance in Strictly Come Dancing Final," Metro, 22 December 2012. Accessed 24 December 2012.
- ^ mcfrannigan, Dancing with the Stars – The Judges., archived from the original on 12 December 2021, retrieved 10 December 2018
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- ^ . englishtouringopera.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "Sadie Sparks is Launching on Disney Channel! #PressRelease – on the Brown Bag Labs blog". Brown Bag Labs. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- ^ "BBC One – Michael McIntyre's Big Show, Series 5, The Big Christmas Show, Craig Revel Horwood Midnight Gameshow". BBC. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
- ^ Clair Woodward (17 September 2017). "Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood takes over as Miss Hannigan in Annie". The Express. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood". IMDb.
- ^ "Dance – Choreography – Vocal Coach – Media Training – Rietta Austin". Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ "Dance – Choreography – Vocal Coach – Media Training – Rietta Austin". Retrieved 8 March 2020.
- ^ Amazon Product information page. Accessed 19 December 2011.
- ^ Horwood, Craig Revel. (2013). Craig Revel Horwood : tales from the dance floor. London. ISBN 9781782431510. OCLC 851827081.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Horwood, Craig Revel (18 October 2018). In strictest confidence. London. ISBN 9781789290202. OCLC 1065350278.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "O'Mara Books Catalogue Jul–Dec 2020" (PDF). Retrieved 11 March 2020.
- ^ Takyi, Stephanie (16 December 2014). "'We might adopt in the future': Craig Revel Horwood opens up about having children". Daily Express.
- ^ Moore, Matt (25 November 2018). "Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood is aiming to get married to his boyfriend Jonathan Myring". Gay Times. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
- ^ Grady, Oliver (27 April 2020). "Craig Revel Horwood announces engagement and spills on unconventional proposal". OK! Magazine. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "'I'd given up on love!' Craig Revel Horwood on meeting the love of his life on Tinder". uk.news.yahoo.com. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ^ National Osteoporosis Society Press Archive article, 20 October 2009 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 25 December 2012.
- ^ [1]Bryony Gordon, "The Queen, Camilla and Craig", Daily Telegraph, 28 October 2011. Accessed 25 December 2011.
- ^ "Perfect 10 for rhythmic Camilla as she shows off her best "Strictly" steps, HELLO!, 21 October 2009. Accessed 25 December 2012.
- ^ Loose Women, 15 January 2016
- ^ "Craig Revel Horwood". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ Baillie, Maddy (28 April 2023). "'Living here feels like a holiday,' says Strictly star". Stamford Mercury. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
External links edit
- Official Website
- Craig Revel Horwood at IMDb
- of Hot Mikado on