Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood jokingly blames lifting Ann Widdecombe for hip replacement
Craig Revel Horwood and Ann Widdecombe danced together on the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour in 2011.
Craig Revel Horwood jokingly blamed lifting and spinning Ann Widdecombe on the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour for his hip replacement.
The acid-tongued judge and the ex-Conservative Party MP were an iconic duo on the BBC Latin and Ballroom dance show in 2010, as Craig brutally criticised Ann and her professional dance partner Anton Du Beke's comedic routines, and the ex-politician dished witty comebacks.
But the painful routines did not stop Craig from taking Ann for a spin on the programme's live tour in 2011, and he declared that experience a favourite memory of his 22 years on Strictly Come Dancing.
Craig, 61, recalled in the new issue of Bella magazine: "I was asked to dance with Ann Widdecombe on the Strictly live tour in the arena, so I said, 'Yes, absolutely.'
"I said she had been mucking around on Strictly and had been making a joke of it. I did all the lifts underneath her breast and spun her around. I did every lift that Anton did in the show in one and a half minutes."
The choreographer quipped: "I ended up losing loads of weight and having a hip replacement, and was in traction for six months after that!"
In March, Ann, 78, admitted she was "the dresser's nightmare" on Strictly Come Dancing.
The show's fan-favourite explained in her Best magazine column: "I insisted on knee-length matching leggings underneath my dresses so that Anton could throw me about without either of us fearing a wardrobe malfunction."
The star won the nation's hearts with her and 59-year-old Anton's comedic performances, and viewers kept the duo in the competition for 10 weeks.
And their unexpected longevity on Strictly Come Dancing gave the costume team a "headache" with hunting for Ann's matching leggings.
Ann penned: "It gave the programme a headache when I lasted 10 weeks, and they were left with nine brightly coloured leggings."
In August 2024, Anton - who replaced Bruno Tonioli, 70, as judge in 2021 - said Ann was a "remarkable" dance partner.
During an appearance on BBC Breakfast, he recalled: "We had the most brilliant time, and I can say that about all of my partners."
Anton relished all of his celebrity dance partners on Strictly Come Dancing - which has had a big shake-up for 2026, including Emma Willis, 50, and Josh Widdicombe, 43, reportedly replacing Tess Daly, 57, and Claudia Winkleman, 54, as co-hosts.
He reflected: "I enjoyed my time as a professional dancer enormously.
"I had the most wonderful relationships with all my partners, who I wouldn't have changed for the world, all of them.
"And I got the great opportunity to spend some brilliant time with some incredibly interesting and wonderful ladies that I probably wouldn't have crossed paths with [otherwise], even in the industry."
