Craig Revel Horwood Does His Own Makeup on Strictly

Craig Revel Horwood has ditched makeup artists in his Strictly Come Dancing dressing room, opting instead to do his own makeup — a habit he says helps him stay focused and calm before judging ^[1]. The 61-year-old judge, who trained as a theatre actor, says most performers are taught to apply their own makeup, and he was surprised when television offered the luxury of having someone else do it ^[2]. Now, he prefers the quiet solitude of doing it himself, reading a book and clearing his mind before going on stage.

Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, Revel Horwood also drew a striking parallel between Strictly and traditional pantomime, calling the show 'panto-esque' ^[2]. He praised the programme for bringing together audiences of all ages, from three to 93, and for fostering community values and inclusivity — what he described as 'wokeness' that helps welcome everyone ^[1].

He admitted he once dismissed pantomime as 'naive' and a 'snob', but has since been converted after performing in them and recognising their cultural and financial importance to theatre ^[2]. He believes pantomimes offer children a rare chance to be loud, emotional, and part of the story — a welcome break from screen time and social isolation ^[1].

Revel Horwood also championed dance as a universal human instinct, tracing its roots to cavemen and birds, and insisted that anyone, regardless of ability, can dance — especially if they ‘dance like no one’s watching’ ^[2]. He will return to the Strictly stage this weekend, promoting his new book, The Book Of Panto, published by Faber & Faber ^[1].

The show continues on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The story was first reported by Mirror and Daily Star.