Shirley Has Tried to Replicate That One, But Sadly, She Failed, He Said, According to the Mirror

Craig Revel Horwood has taken a playful swipe at Shirley Ballas, saying she failed to replicate the "magic" of late Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman. At a statue unveiling for Goodman at the Goodman Dance Academy in Dartford, Revel Horwood told the audience that Goodman's catchphrases, like "A 10 from Len, were iconic. "Shirley has tried to replicate that one, but sadly, she failed, he said, according to The Mirror.

Revel Horwood, now 61, praised Goodman as the heart of the show, saying, "Without Len, I don't think the show would have survived. He recalled their on-screen bickering but off-screen friendship, adding, "I miss him from the bottom of my heart. Goodman, who died in April 2023 at age 78, was head judge until 2016, when Ballas, 65, took over. He also judged Dancing with the Stars from 2005 to 2022. Ballas has previously spoken about the toll of judging, including trolling that nearly made her quit in 2023. For 2025, Strictly changed its format to rotate the deciding vote among judges.