Strictly fans blast Craig Revel Horwood for ‘out of order’ Paul Merson comment
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Craig Revel Horwood has come under fire from Strictly Come Dancing fans for his "thoughtless" remark about drinking directed at contestant Paul Merson, who is in recovery from alcoholism.
The 56-year-old ex-footballer from England and Arsenal, who is now participating in a dance competition with his partner Karen Hauer, performed a Salsa routine to Pitbull's song "Fireball."
At the start of the routine, Merson was grilling at a barbecue while holding a fake drink. Then he put down the glass and started his dance routine.
Merson was given some of the lowest scores of the evening, as the judges collectively assigned just 15 points out of a possible 40 to the pair.
Revel Horwood mentioned that Merson wasn’t moving at all, as if his feet were stuck to the ground, while his partner Hauer effortlessly moved around him.
He then remarked, “Clearly, the drinks at the barbecue boosted your confidence to go for it.”
Merson glanced at the ground and softly admitted, "I don’t drink." Tess Daly, the host, appeared uninterested as she shook her head toward Revel Horwood.
Audiences were quick to label the comments as "cruel" since they recognized that Merson is a recovering alcoholic and has previously shared his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction.
A fan posted on X/Twitter, stating: “He might not have realized it, but joking about alcohol around someone who's struggling with alcoholism wasn’t a great idea.”
One individual commented that the remark was in "poor taste," while another felt it was "inappropriate."
One supporter commented, "Craig should really take the time to learn about the contestants. That was an inappropriate comment directed at Paul Merson."
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"Wow, that's an unkind remark from Craig! Considering that Paul is in recovery, I highly doubt he would be drinking at a barbecue."
The Independent has reached out to the BBC for a response.
In an interview with The Independent and other outlets before his debut on Strictly last month, Merson mentioned that staying "sober" has opened the door for him to take on fresh opportunities, such as participating in Strictly.
When asked about his hopes for what he’ll gain from participating in the show, he shared: “As someone who is recovering from alcoholism, my main desire is to inspire viewers at home who are struggling with addictions. I want them to know that it’s possible to take action and make a change. Addiction isolates you and distances you from everything else, and that’s the unfortunate truth.”
"At this moment, I'm stepping out in front of millions and attempting something I'm not particularly skilled at. That's just who I am. I used to believe I couldn't do things like this, but now that I'm sober, I've been given the chance."
