Craig Revel Horwood talks Strictly and why he is bringing 90s classic Strictly Ballroom to a theatre near you

The 20th series of Strictly started last week and Horwood had never missed a show until he contracted Covid in November last year.

As well as judging the new series Horwood is directing a musical stage version of the hit ‘90s Australian film Strictly Ballroom, starring former Strictly professional Kevin Clifton and celebrity contestant Maisie Smith.

“Strictly Ballroom was a film I loved so much. It came out in 1992 and I was in Miss Saigon in the West End. I was born in Australia and it felt like going home and really helped relieve the homesickness I was feeling,” says Horwood, who started his career as a dancer in Melbourne, before moving to London in 1989 to take advantage of the greater opportunities available there and to dance competitively.

The uplifting and courageous musical actually originated as a stage play that Baz Luhrmann devised with a group of classmates at Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1984. Eight years later he made his screen directorial debut with ‘Strictly Ballroom’, the first instalment in Luhrmann’s acclaimed Red Curtain Trilogy. The vibrant film enjoyed staggering success, winning three awards at the 1993 BAFTA awards and a 1994 Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture, going on to become one of the most successful Australian films of all time, earning more than $80 million at the box office.

In April 2014 Strictly Ballroom The Musical had its world premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre and now eight years later Horwood jumped at the chance to direct and help choreograph the revival of Strictly Ballroom the Musical.

“Phil McIntyre got the rights and asked me if I would be interested in being involved. I didn’t have to think twice. It is my go to film if I need cheering up.”

Strictly Ballroom The Musical, tells the beguiling story of Scott Hastings, a talented, arrogant and rebellious young ballroom dancer – played by former Strictly Come Dancing professional and 2018 champion, Kevin Clifton. When Scott’s radical dance moves see him fall out of favour with the Australian Federation, he finds himself dancing with Fran (Maisie Smith), a beginner with no moves at all. Inspired by one another, this unlikely pair

gather the courage to defy both convention and their families – and discover that, to be winners, the steps don’t need to be strictly ballroom.

“I can’t wait to see Maisie dancing with Kevin again I think it will be a fabulous partnership.”

Maisie first wowed Strictly fans with her dancing in 2019 in the Children In Need TV special with Kevin Clifton. After winning the hearts of the public, the following year she danced her way into the BBC One Strictly Come Dancing final. Earlier this year, Maisie joined the cast of the Strictly Live Arena Tour. She will now add another jewel to her Strictly crown, as she makes the move into musical theatre in Strictly Ballroom The Musical.

“Kevin told me it was his dream to play Scott ever since he was ten years old,” says Horwood, 57. “He left Strictly Come Dancing to play his dream part but then Covid hit and he’s had to wait another two years. But on the plus side by then Maisie Smith was available- it’s the dream team.”

It is 20 years since Horwood became a judge on the first series of Strictly Come Dancing and since then he has become a household name often appearing in pantomine – as the villain usually and he even had his own one man show. Does he ever get bored with the Strictly formula?”Not at all,” he says firmly. “For me every series is completely different. I never get boring or samey – the celebrities change every year and often some of the professionals change too. The dancing is always wonderful. “He does admit that the last series, which saw same sex couple John Whaite and Johannes Radebe make it to the final was a highlight for him.

"Pushing boundaries is what it should be about," he says - the series also saw deaf actress Rose Ayling-Ellis with her professional partner Giovanni Pernice danced off with the Glitterball trophy.

“Last year was special but every year there is something surprising. Every year just seems to get better and better and so does the standard of the celebrities’ dancing.

Horwood is also proud that despite Covid the BBC still managed to bring out Strictly, although he was forced to miss his first ever show due to contracting the virus.

"It took a lot of people a lot of hard work to make it happen,” he recalls. “We are used to having an audience but we weren’t allowed one – although it didn’t really matter because we knew we had an audience at home. It was so important, I think we really gave people hope. As judges we were going in one door and out the other and having to socially distance. I really hope we get an audience this year.”

Covid also saw his marriage to horticulturist Jonathan Myring postponed although, he says it is back on track.

"So long as we do it before I turn 60 (in 2024).”

After lockdown Horwood toured with his one man show and says it was special to be back in front of a live audience.

"It was like coming home. Just to see people getting together again after spending so long wondering whether it was really going to happen and I am so grateful it did.

He says it was John Travolta in Saturday Night fever that made it cool to dance if you were a man athough it took time for him to realise he could make a living out it.

After leaving Australia he danced in Paris at the famous Lido and Moulin Rouge. He auditioned for Cats a few years after seeing the musical and from there moved to Miss Saigon, both in the West End.

He started to move into choreography and directing and it was then he got the call to be part of a new BBC dance show.

"I remember saying that it was never going to work, never in a million years, but my agent convinced me to go along. I was very sniffy about it, I didn’t want it to ruin my career. I thought I’ll give it three weeks and then it will axed. Twenty years later and it is still going strong.”

Strictly Ballroom the musical is at:

Sheffield, City Hall December 8 – December 13

Hull, New Theatre March 6 – March 11, 2023

York, Grand Opera House April 24 – April 29, 2023

Leeds, Grand Theatre July 3 – July 8, 2023

strictlyballroomtour.co.uk