http://www.ok.co.uk/tv/strictly-come...uple-exclusive

The judge believes same sex dancing couples should be "encouraged" and gives his thoughts on Nick Grimshaw on The X Factor

CRAIG Revel Horwood has promised there will be a same sex couple on Strictly Come Dancing.

The judge – who appears on the panel with Bruno Tonioli, Len Goodman and Darcey Bussell – thinks such couplings should be “encouraged” and has confirmed either two men or two women “will” compete for the glitterball trophy either this year or next.

Speaking at the TruTV Drag Race UK party at the Café De Paris last night, he exclusively told OK! Online: “A same sex couple on Strictly - that is on the cards.

“It’ll be either this year or next year, but most certainly, it will happen. They did it already in Hungary or somewhere.

“We should encourage that sort of thing, absolutely. There are competitions throughout the world that have same sex couple, you just have to decide who goes backwards darling!”

He also gave his opinion on rumours of Nick Grimshaw joining The X Factor judging panel.

He said: “Nick Grimshaw would be good. I think it’s good to change panels, although I’m pleased that Strictly haven’t!

“Simon Cowell is always trying to fight back. He stole Alesha from us, now he’s stolen our winner Caroline Flack, it’s amazing isn’t it?

This year or next year?

Those quote marks around "will" are a classic of the genre as well.

I'd take this more as confirmation that they're looking to make it happen rather than as confirmation that it definitely will. They have to find someone to say yes to it for starters.

If Robin was still around, I could see him being ok with it... but I can't see any of the current crop (the newbies not withstanding as we don't know them yet) of pros being prepared to "go with it".

Can you imagine the complaints to the Beeb for them changing their "family show"..........................

I did think at one time that sooner or later it would happen (but that was sort of dependent on Ian or Robin still being around).

Another box ticking exercise by the BBC...
Pathetic.

Simon Cowell will love this idea ax X Factor will then get higher viewing figures than Strictly.
I see a considerable drop in viewing figures in like minded people such as I who have old fashioned views that Ballroom and Latin dances should always be between a man and a woman.

Really? I can think of a few who I would guess wouldn't (and I see there being more of a problem on the male side than the female) but do you really think, say, Janette gives enough of a toss for the supposedly inviolate rules of classical ballroom dancing not to do a Lebanese Waltz or two, coin a mint off interviews with the gay press, then go out in wk 7 or so and cash her pay-cheque? I doubt it.

It's seems rather odd that they've shed all their gay pros then.* Having a lesbian or gay celeb dance with a straight same-sex pro would completely de-fang and sanitise the whole exercise. Having a lesbian celeb dance with a straight female pro would just have the overtone of 'Phwoooaaar, here's one for the dads!' As for the audience reaction, middlebrow British audiences have always loved camp from time immemorial. Gay romance or sexiness early on a Saturday evening, on the other hand, wouldn't bother anyone I know but I imagine the Daily Mail will dig out a few people.

I'm not against same-sex couples on Strictly. My only objection is that it's rather nice to have a show where gay men aren't necessarily pigeonholed as gay men and get to perform as the romantic lead. In a weird way, by having mixed-sex couples, Strictly is a show where gay people get to have the same opportunities as performers, as opposed to social dancers, as straight people. We still live in a time where coming out can kill off any hopes of becoming a leading actor, rather than a character actor. **

*Giovanni looks like a rent boy from a Pasolini film but appears, upon further investigation, to be straight. I think. Possibly. Oh, who knows?

** But, you know, if the producers want to throw us a bone and give us the Tristan and Aljaz Rumba to Dusty singing The Look of Love then HELL YEAH! I'm all for it!

Ooh, hang on! Imagine a whole season of Wentworth Miller and Gleb together. Or Brendan's face as he thinks he's about to get partnered with one of The Saturdays and he gets Gareth Thomas instead. Mwaaah-haaaa-haaa-haa-ha!

I'm coming round to the idea more and more.

I hope they don't do it as a gimmick, or stick a very obviously gay dancer (I'm talking Louis Spence levels...) with a pro who between them make a big deal out of it. Obviously it will attract attention, and I fully support it for the reasons Craig mentions, but don't just have it as a box ticking exercise. Make it something with a purpose. I'd ideally have liked something like the Switch Up Challenge in America where the audience votes for which pro the celeb will have for a one week only swap, and then open it so that they can be paired with a pro of the same sex, and thus it's the viewing public having a bit of fun rather than a huge political move, which will naturally prove to be a huge talking point up until the point the couple get eliminated, and God help them if they win it!

From the pro dancers point of view, dancing as part of a same sex couple, wouldn't matter to them in the least. Their job is to teach - not to worry about the sexuality of the person they are teaching. A straight male teacher will have no qualms about dancing with another guy, whether straight or gay. Likewise the female teachers.

My problem with the idea of a same sex couple in Strictly is more about the judges. Basically, I think they will be between a rock and a hard place!

If the couple's dancing is poor and the judges say so, they risk being accused of homophobia. But if the couple is good and the judges say so, they risk being accused of simply not wanting to appear homophobic.

I'm not homophobic in any way but I can't say I want this to happen. I like the current dance set out, and some of the pros won't be too happy. However, I may warm to it and I wouldn't be that bothered if they did have one.

Aliona and Miriam Margolyes? (74)

Craig was about as definite as you can be and still sound unconvincing.

I'm not sure how it would work out - it may depend a lot on the couple.

Kevin and Gareth Thomas - is Kevin going to be the man? How tall can they make Kevin's hair?

It seems like a tightrope for the producers that doesn't have to be walked.

I'd feel uncomfortable dancing with another man in a ballroom / latin dance competition. I think it works better male / female.

If the contestant wants to do it then that's fine, just don't see the need to try and force it which the media seems to be obsessed by.

I think as long as the pro and the celeb are both comfortable with it, then it should be fine.

I seem to recall Joanne (I think it was her anyway) mentioning that she wouldn't mind dancing with another woman as long as she got to lead.

I honestly don't think it's on the cards anytime soon. It's about as 'sometime, maybe' as an answer could get - and a question asked of Craig at a promo for Ru Paul's Drag Race, so,he's not going to pooh pooh it out of hand. I could possibly see it being something along the lines of a Dame Edna or Mrs Brown as a first step though.

Exactly. Like the recent appeal for disabled weather presenters to promote diversity. Any more unnecessary changes is just going to ruin this once favourite programme of mine. Change for change's sake doesn't always equal progress.

Based purely upon the hairdos of the backing dancers I'd say we've already seen a few genderqueer, polysexual routines on Strictly anyway.

Come on people, I can't be the only Strictly fan who'd pay their whole licence fee just to see Brendan and Rob Halford from Judas Priest's Hell Bent for Leather Paso! I demand that the pro be Brendan and I demand that the celeb is someone who looks like he actually enjoys having sex with men, not some niminy-piminy housewives' favourite Will Young type. I want to see Brendan wrapping thighs with Paul Rutherford from Frankie!

To be serious for a moment, I don't think the Strictly producers know what to do with a gay celeb who isn't camp, as evinced by Scott Mills last year. Some of his performances were wonderfully dry but I thought things like the sweet, girly, sexless tango were a bit patronising towards him. They let the straight guys camp it up so they should let the gay guys play it straight.

Change does seem to work though, and its much easier than improving the show.

Surely Kristina is a shoo in for this

Maybe I am thick, but I thought some dances the Man leads the Woman?

How would/does it work same sex? I assume if is done in lessons if their is an imbalance of sexes, but would the same sex couple, switch roles or remain as the 'male' or 'female'?

One regular theme every year is the lack of a level playing field, so how on earth can a same sex couple be marked along side the usual male/female pairings?

I think that might be what Craig meant by a same sex couple needing to decide who will dance backwards.

Oooh, Tomasz Schafernaker and Pasha would be pretty adorable! Think of the comedy VTs!

Yes I do wonder if this has been discussed anywhere other than the interview itself and I doubt its imminent. Sections of the SCD audience would probably need 5 years warning to get used to the idea. It might work initially as a joke act so to speak, but Im not so sure that the mainstream primetime family/elderly SCD audience is remotely ready to witness steamy Latin dances between same sex couples.

The idea of the man always leading the woman is a bit outdated with todays modern choreography. Generally in all couples (same- and mixed-sex) it is a case of leader and follower.

But you are right about a same sex couple switching roles - sometimes with the ballroom dancer 1 will start as the leader, and suddenly they switch so dancer 2 is the leader - and believe me, it is often very difficult to spot the change; it's seamless and very clever. For some reason I have only seen 2 male dancers do this!

Latin routines should be choreographed to be suitable for same sex couples.