Furious Craig Revel Horwood slams ‘ridiculous’ vaccine refusers amid Strictly Covid row
FURIOUS Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has slammed “ridiculous” vaccine refusers amid the show’s Covid row.
The ballroom judge admitted he has “no idea” why people are “so up in arms” against having the jab as he said it “drives him nuts”.
Craig, 56, opened up to The Times about his thoughts on vaccine sceptips, slamming them as “ridiculous” amid the Strictly row.
“The NHS are bringin gin things to say that you really have to be vaccinated,” he began. “I mean, it’s like the malaria vaccine. Would you not have it and just go die of malaria?
“This is no different a vaccine to the flu or anything, and why people are up in arms about it I have no idea.”
Craig continued, hinting over the Strictly stars refusing to have the jab: “It’s ridiculous. I do know someone that is regusing to have it and that just drives me nuts.”
The choreographer continued to slam sceptics as “ill-informed” as he concluded that he will happily have his booster jab completed soon.
It comes after a week of crisis talks at the BBC and a chorus of disapproval from former stars of the hit show and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Three of Strictly’s professional dancers had refused to get the jab, and threatened to quit the show over having their vaccinations.
A source said: “The three dancers have made their positions crystal clear — they’d rather quit than have the jab. There is mounting pressure upon them to be vaccinated but they are refusing to budge.
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“Ultimately being vaccinated was not a re- quirement for the dancers on this year’s show.
“While other television companies have made this policy, it is not at the BBC. Obviously no one could have foreseen the upset it has caused.
“No one can make the dancers have the jab but some people have asked them to reconsider for the sake of the show. At Strictly they treat each other as a big family. They are normally a unified team and when a few of the team aren’t singing off the same hymn sheet it causes issues.”
The Sun exclusively revealed last week that two professional dancers on the show had not been vaccinated, Earlier this week we also revealed a third was also unjabbed.
There is concern among the show’s other pro dancers and celebrities as well as make-up artists, camera operators, costume staff, and other departments who work closely with the performers.
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The Sun told yesterday how one celeb was said to be “furious” that they had no idea their partner hadn’t been jabbed.
Strictly legend James Jordan said the trio were putting lives at risk and should be thrown off the show.
And Boris Johnson — on a trip to the US to meet President Joe Biden — even urged the three to get jabbed as soon as possible.
Bosses of the show have already admitted that one of the pro dancers tested positive for Covid last week and immediately had to go into a ten-day isolation.
It remains to be seen whether they are well enough and will test negative in time to take part in this Saturday’s show, where the duos will perform together for the first time.
A CHANGE OF HEART?
Producers have said testing positive does not necessarily mean competitors, or their partners, will have to immediately leave the competition.
They will be allowed to miss one week on the show and return once they’ve completed their ten day isolation — assuming they then test negative at the end of that period.
Responding to claims that the three dancers would rather quit than be jabbed, a Strictly spokesperson said: “This is simply not true”.
Earlier this week, news broke that one of the stars had caved and performed a dramatic U-Turn by getting their Covid vaccination.
A TV insider said: “The pro felt that the narrative had gotten out of control and wants to bring back the focus to the competition. No-one told them they have to get jabbed but it was a decision they came to themselves and felt it was the best thing to do for everyone involved.
“It was becoming a guessing game as to who had been vaxxed and who hasn’t where as the professional dancers’ main focus is the dance floor.”
Dancers do not have to disclose whether they are vaccinated as it is a private medical matter and the BBC cannot even ask about it.
