Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood tests positive for Covid-19

Craig Revel Horwood has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be absent from the judging panel on Saturday’s show.

The Strictly Come Dancing, 56, judge is currently self-isolating and hopes to be back in action the following week.  

A Strictly spokesperson said: ‘Craig Revel Horwood has tested positive for Covid-19 and is now self-isolating following the latest government guidelines.  

Self-isolating: Craig Revel Horwood has tested positive for Covid-19 and will be absent from the judging panel on Saturday’s show

‘While Craig will not be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this weekend, all being well he will return the following week.’ 

It has not been confirmed if Craig will be replaced by another judge for Saturday’s episode.  

If not, then the remaining celebrity contestants would be given a score out of 30 rather than the usual 40.

Craig, who is on the panel with Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, is the first judge to have to pull out of the show due to a positive test.  

Absent: The Strictly Come Dancing , 56, judge is currently self-isolating and hopes to be back in action the following week (L-R, Craig, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke)

Celebrity contestants Tom Fletcher and Judi Love both tested positive for Covid on this year’s series and were allowed to return to the competition after taking one week off.

Judi was quite sick during her isolation and told fans that she had ‘a rough couple of days’ and warned them that the prevalence of the illness should prompt them ‘to get your health in order’. 

Posting a video from her bed, Judi said: ‘I don’t even know what day it is. Some kind of motivation day.

‘I just want to say to you guys, ‘Rona is real. I give thanks that I was doing little exercise and dancing thing. I feel like I’m handling it much better than I would have had if I hadn’t been doing little exercise and a little sweat.

A Strictly spokesperson said: ‘Craig Revel Horwood has tested positive for Covid-19 and is now self-isolating following the latest government guidelines’

‘You can hear from my voice, I have done all the West Indian recipes and remedies, for those who are West Indian, especially Jamaicans, you know what I’m talking about. I eat the garlic, onion, the turmeric, the honey – the expensive one, the Manuka one – the ginger, the lime, the lemon, the rum.

‘I’ve had all kind of soup – chicken foot soup, lamb neck soup, red peas, and my voice is still like this and then ‘Rona will then turn round to you and say to you, ‘You know what, on top of that bredrin, I’m not going to make you able to smell or taste.’

Tom and his professional dance partner Amy Dowden both caught Covid early in the series and were forced to miss the second live show. 

The McFly star said at the time it was ‘frustrating’ not to be able to take part and added that the hardest part was that he had to quarantine away from his children Buzz, seven, Buddy, five, and Max, three. 

Tom and Amy are still in the competition, having made it to the final seven, while Judi and Graziano Di Prima were the fifth couple eliminated. 

Covid regulations on the BBC show were much stricter on last year’s series which saw Nicola Adams and Katya Jones being forced to leave the show after Katya tested positive.

Meanwhile, judge Bruno Tonioli has missed the last two series of Strictly as he was unable to fly between Los Angeles and London during the pandemic and so remained as a judge on the US Dancing With The Stars.