Strictly Come Dancing star Craig Revel Horwood has responded to a comment from one former professional suggesting he should be replaced on the judging panel.

On Wednesday afternoon, Craig posted on X about a news story from back in December, in which Ola Jordan claimed he had become “too nicey nicey” in recent years, claiming the show needs a new judge “with a bit more spice”.

“Maybe you’d like to suggest your wonderful husband Ola?” Craig wrote back, referring to Ola’s husband James Jordan, another former professional on the show with whom he’s swapped insults in the press in the past.

While Ola remained tight-lipped on Craig’s comment, James did reply that evening, claiming the Strictly star had been taken in by a headline and missed out on some of his wife’s more flattering comments.

“I don’t suppose you read the part where she said you were her favourite judge,” James said, adding: “Big love my friend.”

The married couple joined Strictly’s team of professionals in 2006, with James parting ways with the show under a cloud of controversy in 2014. Ola followed two years later.

Since parting ways with Strictly, the pair have repeatedly taken aim at the franchise, with Craig firing back on occasion.

Back in 2021, Craig claimed that James in particular was “desperate for my job, but he’ll never get it”.

“We won’t make amends until he stops slagging me off!” he previously said of the Dancing On Ice winner.

As for the suggestion that he’s become too “nice” on the Strictly panel, Craig admitted last year that he’s deliberately toned down some of his more cutting critiques.

“I was really harsh 20 years ago,” he recalled. “When I look back, I think, ‘Ooh, that’s cutting’. It would now be classed as bullying, and then I’d be cancelled.”

He then insisted it was not “fear of being cancelled” that led to him switching his approach, but rather a hope to be more constructive.

“I’m thinking more like a teacher than a judge,” he added. “I was very direct. I do still say what’s wrong, but you can wrap the truth in a nice way.”