Craig Revel Horwood is an Australian-British dancer, choreographer, theatre director, and television personality, best known for his appearances as a judge on the BBC One talent show Strictly Come Dancing.
Born in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, on 4 January 1965, Craig Revel Horwood was the youngest of four children. He grew up in a tiny rural town with his father, a police officer, and his mother, a nurse. At the age of five, Horwood's parents divorced and he was sent to boarding school.
At the age of fifteen, Horwood moved to Sydney, Australia, where he began to take ballet lessons at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. He then went on to study at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts where he graduated with a degree in Performing Arts.
Horwood's career in show business began in the early 1990s when he choreographed for the Melbourne production of Cats. He then went on to direct and choreograph shows such as Grease, The Rocky Horror Show and the stage adaptation of the film classic, Singin' in the Rain.
Horwood also enjoyed a successful career as a dancer, appearing on TV shows such as the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and DanceX. He also choreographed numbers for the show, as well as for the West End production of A Chorus Line.
In 2004, Horwood became a judge on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and has remained in the role ever since. He is known for his straight-talking criticism and sharp wit, and is often referred to as "the acid tongue" by the show's contestants.
Horwood has also released a fitness DVD, Craig Revel Horwood's Dance Workout, and written two books, All Balls and Glitter and Strictly A-Z. He has also appeared in a number of pantomimes in the UK and is a regular guest on the British chat show Loose Women.
Craig Revel Horwood is a highly respected figure in the world of dance and theatre, and is loved by audiences around the world for his honest and humorous judging style.
