Craig Revel Horwood says worst Christmas present cost him £20 at customs
Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will also judge those competing on Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special.
Craig Revel Horwood said his worst Christmas present saw him pay £20 to get it out of customs.
As the Strictly Come Dancing judges gear up for a festive special, the 57-year-old Australian-British choreographer will join Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke to judge the six celebrities competing on the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas show.
Presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will also be returning as hosts.
In the run up to a Christmas Day airing, Revel Horwood said: “The best Christmas present I’ve ever received was my GI Joe helicopter.
“The worst was a tea-towel from Australia worth $1.99 and I had to pay 20 quid at the Post Office to get it out of customs.”
Mabuse said: “Best present was my engagement ring and worst was a fitness package.”
The 41-year-old South African-German dancer runs a dance school in Germany with husband Evgenij Voznyuk.
Ballas also said she was bought “cheap underwear” which with one wash turned into a rag “you’d do your polishing with” when the elastic band broke.
Revel Horwood also said his favourite festive song was Christmas Merry Christmas by himself and Rietta Austin, which he adds made it to number 25 in the charts.
While Mabuse chose All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey, Du Beke went for Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song and Ballas picked White Christmas by Bing Crosby.
This year will see competitors like CBeebies presenter George Webster, who is dancing with professional dancer Amy Dowden, joins Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts and Giovanni Pernice and actor Larry Lamb with Nadiya Bychkova.
Soap actress Alexandra Mardell with Kai Widdrington, DJ Rickie Haywood-Williams with Luba Mushtuk and podcaster Rosie Ramsey who will be partnered with Neil Jones, complete the line-up.
Ballas also said: “I’m hoping that we some nice dancing, some lovely little footwork and some hip action.
“Normally when they only have to dance once everybody gets all nervous, but I’m hoping that they’ll realise it is a Christmas Special, it’s for fun.”
Du Beke said: “That’s the thing about Strictly Christmas, it’s joyous. It’s just brilliant. I love the fantastic costumes, the 25-ft Christmas tree, the way they dress the studio. It really does feel like Christmas.”
Du Beke, 56, also said his favourite moments from Strictly Christmas specials have been dancing to singers Tony Christie and Michael Buble.
Mabuse opted for her sister Oti Mabuse’s “incredible” performance with actor Tom Chambers in 2015 and Revel Harwood said when he came down the chimney as grouchy Dr Seus character The Grinch.
– The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day.
