Strictly’s Craig Revel Horwood shares throwback snaps as he details feeling like an ‘outcast’

Craig Revel Horwood has opened up about his tough childhood growing up in Ballarat, Australia as he detailed feeling like a ‘social misfit’ and an ‘outcast’.

In a look back at his life during a segment on It Takes Two, the Strictly judge, 57, told how he didn’t feel like he fit in and wasn’t into sports like his peers, adding that ‘it was not acceptable to be even slightly effeminate’. 

Craig, who also looked unrecognisable in throwback snaps, shared that after discovering dance, he finally found people that ‘understood’ him, adding that he used dance as an ‘escape route’ from his hometown. 

Recalling his younger years, he said: ‘When I was at school I had very limited friends, I just did not fit in at all. I didn’t like sport at school – in fact I hated it.

‘Any kid in Australia that doesn’t like sport is a social misfit and outcast.

‘That’s why I went to the dance classes, people were telling me I was good at it and it was the first thing I’d ever been good at.’

On how he felt to discover a new part of his life, he went on: ‘I felt like I was part of a community that understood me and didn’t judge me.

Candid: In a look back at his life during a segment on It Takes Two, the Strictly judge, 57, told how he didn’t feel like he fit in and wasn’t into sports like his peers, adding that ‘it was not acceptable to be even slightly effeminate’

‘Where I grew up, it was not acceptable to be even slightly effeminate. I wanted to be a dancer and that was not acceptable.’

The choreographer told how he left his hometown ‘as soon as possible’ and went on to work as a hairdresser before finally getting his big break by appearing in productions such as West Side Story and Cats.

During the chat, Craig opened up about his glamorous alter-ego Lavish, telling the camera: ‘I was in shows, and I was very successful, but I wanted more, so I created this character, called Lavish.

Tough: Craig shared that after discovering dance, he finally found people that ‘understood’ him, adding that he used dance as an ‘escape route’ from his hometown

‘I would go out at moon night at clubs, I turned up one day in a red wig, six-inch stilettos, my trumpet, and I said, “Do you need someone to perform?”‘

However, Lavish was not to last as she was ‘taking over’ his life, with the star hanging up her stilettos for good in the 80s.

He said: ‘I really loved, it was great fun, but she became a little too popular, and started to take over my life.

‘So in 1988 she was last seen walking up the Champs Elysees with heels in hand darling, and she’s never been seen since.’

Young: Recalling his younger years, he said: ‘When I was at school I had very limited friends, I just did not fit in at all. I didn’t like sport at school – in fact I hated it’

Growing up: ‘Where I grew up, it was not acceptable to be even slightly effeminate. I wanted to be a dancer and that was not acceptable’

Life: The choreographer told how he left his hometown ‘as soon as possible’ and went on to work as a hairdresser before finally getting his big break by appearing in productions such as West Side Story and Cats

Detailing the early days of his career, Craig told how he went from auditioning to choreographing shows behind-the-scenes, before rows with producers forced him to work elsewhere.

He then began directing musicals himself, with his success attracting the eye of producers before he eventually landed his role in Strictly Come Dancing.

Looking back on his life, Craig remarked: ‘The best thing I ever told myself when I was a kid was follow your dreams and never give that up.

‘Follow your passion and you will be successful – and if you’re not, dust yourself off darling and try it again, because only through failure do we find success.’

It Takes Two airs weeknights at 6.30pm on BBC Two. 

Career: He began directing musicals himself, with his success attracting the eye of producers before he eventually landed his role in Strictly Come Dancing