Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood Details Abuse and Escaping Home Through Dance

Craig Revel Horwood, known for his role as a judge on "Strictly Come Dancing," has shared details of his difficult childhood, including an arrangement at age 17 where he traded sex with a 42-year-old man in exchange for dance lessons. Revel Horwood stated that this was a means of escape from an abusive home environment.

He described his father, Phil Horwood, as a violent alcoholic who subjected the family to severe physical and mental abuse. Revel Horwood told The Times that he and his siblings were treated like "little slaves" and that he considers himself an "ultra-resilient" survivor due to his past experiences. His father, a former Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant, died in 2015 at the age of 74 with a toxicology report showing high levels of alcohol in his system.

Revel Horwood recounted that his mother, Beverley, now 84, supported his pursuit of dance despite enduring the brunt of his father's behavior. He expressed regret that he couldn't advise his mother to leave his father sooner, acknowledging the financial and practical difficulties she would have faced raising five children alone in those times. The divorce only occurred in 1989 when Phil Horwood threatened his wife and her brother with a gun, leading to a brief prison sentence for Phil.

Revel Horwood's autobiography details how his eldest siblings were victims of their father's abuse, while the younger ones were not, which he noted has caused rifts within the family over the years. He did not attend his father's funeral but sent a video message singing his father's favorite song, "My Way."

Revel Horwood is currently engaged to Jonathan Myring, a paramedic, though their wedding has been postponed. He is booked with work until 2030 but has a week off in 2028 that could accommodate the ceremony. In April, he is scheduled to be a judge on "Dancing With The Stars" in Australia. His other projects have included coaching Hugh Grant for a tap dancing sequence in the film "Paddington 2."