Strictly Judge Craig Revel Horwood Reveals Heartbreaking Truth About His Father

Alcoholism and Tragic End

Craig Revel Horwood, best known as a judge on the hit TV show Strictly Come Dancing, has recently opened up about his father's tragic battle with alcoholism. Phil Revel Horwood, a former Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant, passed away at the age of 74 in December 2015.

According to Craig, his father had become a recluse, living on a fish farm on the outskirts of Victoria. In a frank conversation on a podcast, the television personality revealed that the last time he saw his father, Phil was in a devastating state. "He became an old eccentric and when the gate closed for the last time he looked so bad and he was drinking heavily," Craig said.

However, the family was shocked to discover that Phil had died from the consequences of his alcoholism. "When he finally drank himself to death, we thought he had had a fall and hit his head on the television," Craig explained. "But he had a blood alcohol level of 400mg per litre or something which is death, so he ended up as a suicide unfortunately."

The painful and unexpected loss was made even more devastating by the fact that none of Phil's life insurances paid out due to the nature of his death. Craig expressed his father's likely disappointment over this outcome, as he had taken out three different policies.

Turbulence and Forgiveness

This is not the first time Craig has opened up about his troubled relationship with his late father. The star previously shared a horrifying incident in which Phil went on a drunken gun rampage, almost killing Craig's brother-in-law, while he hid under a bed waiting for the police.

Despite the painful memories and trauma of his childhood, Craig has found a way to forgive his father. In fact, he believes that the difficult experiences shaped him into the person he is today. "I think without the abuse, bizarrely, I wouldn't have been forced out of the house into dance class," Craig confessed. "I thank him for that."

Craig's heart-wrenching revelation gives fans a deeper understanding of the personal struggles he has faced throughout his life. His ability to find forgiveness and gratitude in the face of adversity is truly inspiring.