STRICTLY’S Craig Revel Horwood has appeared to take a subtle swipe at Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez’s energy levels.
The straight-talking show judge suggested the pair aren’t quite firing on all cylinders in the way that Strictly legend Kevin Clifton does.
Helen Skelton and Gorka Marquez danced a Viennese Waltz at the weekend
Strictly Craig Revel Horwood suggested the pair lacked energy
Craig said he can’t keep up with former Strictly pro Kevin Clifton
Kevin, who won the Glitterball once and finished as runner-up four times, is playing the lead role in Craig’s Strictly Ballroom show.
The choreographer told Best magazine: “Helen Skelton’s Viennese Waltz to Hopelessly Devoted was delightful. But she lacks technique – I’d like to see her apply herself to the technical side.
“But she and Gorka are great together, their energies match.
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“When I dance with Kevin Clifton, for example, his energy is sky high and I’m racing to catch up – I’m at risk of a heart attack!”
Craig didn’t hold back in his column, also writing that co-judge Shirley Ballas is “gunning for the big fight” amid calls for her to be sacked.
Craig, 57 – often dubbed Strictly’s Mr Nasty – opened up on the BBC show’s head judge’s repeated efforts to lock horns with him this series.
His comments came shortly after Strictly Come Dancing fans argued Shirley, 62, should be sacked – amid unfounded allegations she is sexist.
Shirley then reacted with a cryptic post about loyalty after she was accused of preferring male celebrity dancers to women on the hit BBC1 show.
Craig has now stirred the pot further by bringing their own judges feud into the frame.
He wrote: “Shirley seems to get great pleasure from contradicting me this year, doesn’t she?!
“She’s gunning for the big fight, I reckon. She’s got that feistiness in her, she really went for my jugular in the first live show and, well, if you’ve been watching at all, you’ll see she has continued to.
“What can I say – I haven’t even started with Shirley, darlings.”
Fans went into meltdown after this weekend’s results show claiming Shirley once again backed a man over his “skilled” female rival.
Singer Fleur East, 34, and pro partner Vito Coppola, 30, survived the dance off, but Shirley said she would have booted them out in favour of Radio 2’s Richie Anderson, 34, who performed a Samba dressed as a meerkat.
Viewers raged on social media, accusing the head judge of bias and calling for her to go.
It was claimed she was unable to “celebrate the young, female celebrities” and “felt threatened by” and was “overly critical” of attractive women dancers.
One viewer fumed on Twitter: “Sexist Shirley would rather save men darting around in animal costumes than the technically-skilled and beautiful dancer Fleur?”
Another blasted: “Shirley Ballas should be removed from the panel. She’s setting a bad example. Her views are outdated and sexist. Please let this be her last year, or preferably week.”
More than a thousand people liked the comment.
Yet others suggested the duo who ended up in the bottom two showed the outcome was “racist.”
Shirley was also criticised for being harsh on comedian Ellie Taylor, 38, during Saturday’s Movie Week show.
Host Tess Daley, 53, jumped to Ellie’s defence when the judge told her: “From today I’m not accepting any heel leads. That goes for everybody because you have a choice and you have been told.”
Tess told Shirley she was being “very strict”, prompting fellow judge Anton Du Beke, 56, to say: “If it’s any consolation, I feel like I’ve been a bit told off myself.”
Pro-dancer Nikita Kuzmin, 24, also seemed confused amid “conflicting” comments to his partner swimmer Ellie Simmonds, 27, who was also criticised for heel work, but scored a seven from Shirley.
Fans were already critical of Shirley’s response to Ellie after she gave her just five points in week two, compared to ex-footie star Tony Adams’ six points for his Charleston.
Craig also told how head judge Shirley Ballas has ‘got that feistiness in her’
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