He was vile to Kate Garroway last year, giving really personal insults.

He was also vile to Peter Schmeichel and Carol Smillie in series 4 and reduced Jan Ravens to tears

I agree entirely. Craig is the only judge who attempts to mark consistently from the beginning of the series.
Arlene has obvious favourites who can seem to do no wrong..usually male. Len and Bruno start throwing around scores of 8 and 9 far too early. This is ok if you accept that each week is marked differently, according to the progress made each week rather than the merit of the dance.
As a viewer, I want an expert opinion of a particular dance as it would stand against previous and future dances, very few dances would merit more than a 5 or 6 in the early weeks given that criteria. Len seems to start with a 5 for getting down the stairs, then adds a point or two for not falling flat on their face during the dance.

Maybe to keep the celebs happy they should give the judges paddles from 9.1 to 10? Then no-one feels insulted?

Oh I know he's corny and cheesy, but still,

Excellent suggestion
We are not far away from that as it stands...nearly all the marks between 8 and 10. That's why Rachel had to be awarded 10's..there is no where else to go if you have already given an inferior routine a 9. I guess it doesn't matter until you start looking back to other "perfect" scores.

The best out of a bad batch which doesnt sit very well.
Time for new blood.

I do, the others seem to over act for attention

He isn't a great judge because he switches the rules from one dancer to the next. He can be ruthless about dancing for one, then ruthless about 'drama' for the next. He's often right, but it's only part of the story, and he knows it, and he's inconsistent. In turn, his inconsistency provokes the others (note Len last night), which angers the other judges, whuch makes them see more deranged....

Sorry, but that's a massive myth. If you analyse it, he's all over the place.

I think that Craig is the best judge. He, IMO usually tells it like it is. I tend to agree with his comments. However he has been known to overact sometimes. Still miles better than loony Len.

Craig's the best judge, but then that's not saying much, is it?

I think he is the best judge. His marks are lower and more realistic. The criticisms are useful also.

How is D-U-L-L useful?

Because sometimes one word sums up an entire performance ?

Agree! Also, he seems the only one who does not rudely interrupt the other judges when they're talking.
I also appreciate that in this series he has made an effort of saying both what he liked and what could be improved in each performance.
Now, if he only could avoid the occasional gratuitous insult to some of the contestants...

Yes me, I think he is. He is the only one who gives honest scores and saves high scores for people who really deserve it.

If it wasn't for Craig you would have the most frightful bunching at the top of the leader board and there would be no point in the judges' votes at all.

I rather think Jan Ravens drove herself to tears. I had never seen such a petulant outburst ("I hope you're happy!"). With apparently Jan's husband trying to manhandle Craig in the bar after the show if the tabloids are to be believed. I had a lot of time for Jan Ravens until then (Dead Ringers being one of my favourite shows) but I will never be able to look at her in quite the same way again.

He usually gives a balanced view.
He aims to give constructive criticism and single out one plus point in even a poor performance.
He doesn't usually mark too high.
He's human so he makes mistakes.
Calling back to John and Kristina that he'd have given them a zero if he'd had the relevant paddle was unnecessary.

On the whole he's the best.
Doesn't talk over the others.
Doesn't lech over the contestants.
Doesn't award tens willy-nilly.
Doesn't usually contradict himself.

Pretty good. Better than the others.

I would rather Craig was marking me for an exam than the others - people (ie the celebrities) just don't like being told they aren't very good and are obviously surrounded by sichophants when away from SCD!
Keep going, Craig

I thought her and her family behaved like spoiled brats - if you can't handle criticism you shouldn't go on a show like Strictly. I felt sorry for Craig not her when she shouted him after she'd gone out after all it's the public and the other three judges who also put her out as much as he did as he pointed out.

I thought her and her family behaved like spoilt brats and felt sorry for Craig and not her during her final outburst which I thought he handled with a lot of dignity after all it as he pointed out was the public and the other three judges that had as much a hand her eventual eviction as he did. Personally I agree with Craig's description of her jive as a bit desperate and if anything thought it was tactful. You shouldn't go on Strictly if you can't take criticism. I think it was a travesty that Spoony and the improving Georgina (in week five - the foxtrot/paso week) went before she did I have booted her off a week or two before she actually went and still can't for the life of me understand why the public saved her instead.

Craig's the best judge and here's why...he is genuinely trying to accentuate the positive. He always gives a positive with a negative and is trying to give constructive criticism. He is far more complimentary than he used to be, and is soooooo much better than the other shower that passes for judges. He is also not vindictive and uses the full scope of his marks.

He is the best judge and the least annoying

I used to like Craig but the way he keeps refers to every male as "darling" is cringworthy. His 90's gay queen act is tiring on me. Hopefully Len will have a word.

Len is the best, Len is THE DON !!

I do like the fact that he (usually) has an explanation for his scoring. And I've noticed that on the weeknight programs he is often more complimentary than he is on the actual program. For example, a few times he had encouraging things to say about John and Kristina and the entertainment value they brought to the show....but that didn't translate to his actual judging comments.