'Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood brands Seann Walsh and Vick Hope's last performances 'dismal'

Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood hasn’t much in the way of compliments for Seann Walsh and Vick Hope’s performances last weekend.

The veteran judge called both contestants efforts ‘dismal’, though he added that he respects the decision of head judge Shirley Ballas to send Hope home, despite voting for the radio presenter on the night.

Hope stoked rumours of a possible ‘fix’ on the show in remarks this week, claiming that producers appeared to be conferring with judges ahead of their decision, which put Seann and Katya through.

After having been caught by paparazzi kissing after a boozy night out in London, Seann and Katya have brought both headlines and record ratings to the BBC show.

“There’s been this whole thing about last week of Vick leaving because I voted for her to go through and everyone else voted for Sean and Katya of course to carry on, which is absolutely fine. It is only my opinion,” he told The Sun.

“I think they were equally, technically pretty dismal. So I thought well, they were as bad as one another technically. The dance I liked most on the night was that one – that’s it.

“And Shirley who is fantastic, who knows her craft so brilliant[ly] and is very eloquent decided to choose in the end and she has the final vote as Head Judge, which is totally in her jurisdiction and that’s why we are all there.

“We are there for differences of opinion as well and we all have different tastes. I sound like I am in a court defending myself, but I think it is really important to have those difference of opinions and they are all valid as well.”

Reports this week suggested that Hope is now unwelcome on show’s set after her comments.

She said on Capital Breakfast: “After the dance off, then the judges have to give their decisions, but there was a bit of a conflab with some producers and then they gave their decisions.

“It was just stunned silence in the studio – it was a really weird atmosphere.”

She also fuelled the suggestion that Ballas ‘hates’ her.

“I wish I knew [why],” she added. “I think I’ve gotta be careful what I say here, because you never know what someone’s thinking. And it was from week one that people were suggesting there was something there, I don’t know.

“It’s been consistent and Saturday night I really felt it was just weird, wasn’t it? I’d never really been spoken to like that. She really relished in it.”

Despite their ‘dismal’ performance last, Seann and Katya will perform a waltz to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ I Put A Spell On You for Halloween week.

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