Strictly judges Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood debrief on show ‘bloodbath’ during FaceTime call

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Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood, judges on Strictly Come Dancing, have discussed all the drama and eliminations from the latest show.

Shirley, the head judge, shared a screenshot of a FaceTime call she had with her fellow judge, Craig Revel Horwood. She expressed her joy at being able to connect with him despite being in different parts of the world, noting they were able to chat at the same time thanks to their shared work on ‘Strictly Come Dancing.’ She affectionately called Craig her ‘king’.

Despite some issues happening behind the scenes of their show, the co-stars seemed happy and were laughing while Shirley took a picture for Instagram.

Craig, 61, is visiting family in Australia, and Shirley, 65, is taking a break there between her work commitments.

We haven’t received confirmation about any changes to the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel, which currently includes Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse. However, several well-known professional dancers have recently been let go.

The BBC’s dance competition has seen significant changes recently, with a number of well-known contestants eliminated, leading fans to call it a dramatic shake-up.

Many viewers were surprised to see several popular professional dancers – including Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Michelle Tsiakkas, Luba Mushtuk, and Gorka Marquez – eliminated in recent weeks.

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, the show’s hosts, revealed last year that they were stepping down after this series.

Earlier this year, rumors began circulating that Shirley Ballas might be leaving the show, after reports surfaced that she was going to join the US version, Dancing With The Stars, as a judge. Her son, Mark Ballas, was a professional dancer on the show for many years, from 2007 to 2023.

Although her involvement hasn’t been officially announced and the filming schedule for the new series is still uncertain, there’s concern it might overlap with the September to December filming of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.

Shirley has mentioned wanting to spend more time with Mark and his family in the US, so she can be a more involved grandmother.

Sources say that Strictly Come Dancing producers have been using TikTok data to help decide which professional dancers to let go in a recent round of cuts.

Some people are saying that contestants with large social media followings were favored over more talented dancers who aren’t as popular on TikTok, as the show attempts to appeal to a younger demographic.

Nadiya, who has 19,000 followers, seems to have been removed from the show, while Dianne Buswell, also 36 and with a much larger following of 966,000, remains a contestant.

Karen, a professional dancer on Strictly for many years, has a relatively small following of 9,000 on social media. In contrast, Alexis Warr, who is new to the show, already has a large following of 190,000.

According to a source, ‘Strictly’ is constantly trying to grow its viewership, both by reaching more people overall and by appealing to a younger demographic.

According to sources, social media is key to reaching a wider audience, and TikTok is an ideal platform for a show that heavily features music and dance.

Being popular on TikTok isn’t essential for staying on the team, but it could be what helps someone keep their place.

Sources say that Fleur East and Janette Manrara have been removed from the Strictly Come Dancing spin-off show, It Takes Two.

Janette, a former professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, became a host in 2021 after eight years as a performer. Singer Fleur East joined the show in 2023, following a successful run to the final in 2022.

But now both stars are said to be in the firing line as executives push for a bold new direction.

An insider told The Sun that viewers will be shocked the show is still filled with so much drama, but the people in charge are committed to making major changes.

People are feeling uneasy and there’s a strong push to start a new chapter after everything that’s happened recently.

The main goal is to start fresh by September and move the show away from the problems it’s faced recently.

As a big fan, I’m relieved to hear that the BBC’s recent decisions don’t necessarily mean Janette and Fleur are gone for good! Apparently, there’s still a possibility they could appear in other projects or roles on the channel, which is fantastic news. I’m really hoping we’ll see them again soon!

Daily Mail has contacted representatives of Fleur, Janette and the BBC for comment.

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2026-03-24 14:37