Craig Revel Horwood reveals the secret to Strictly scoring amid Dan Walker fix claims

Craig Revel Horwood has revealed the secret behind the voting system used by the Strictly judges to ensure that their scoring is secret.

Week after week, fans have accused Strictly Come Dancing of 'fixing' the results as the viewers are unhappy with the Strictly contestants that are remaining in the show. In an interview with The Mirror, Craig Revel Horwood has explained the judging process and how he is able to cast his vote without the influence of the other Strictly judges.

When asked if fixed voting was possible, Craig replied, "It's sort of impossible and I can tell you why. We have to vote personally on a keypad, and we have to push that keypad within seven seconds of the dance finishing and we can't change our minds."

"Once we've chosen a mark, that is it and we don't know what the other judges are choosing until it's too late. Not until we get our paddles ready to vote do I know what everyone has voted."

"Because I have given fours when other people have given nines! So I go, 'Wow!' So I'm as shocked as everybody else because it's their own personal opinion and no one can change it. So once I've done it, it's too late."

The judge also revealed that he had accidentally voted with the wrong number before, but fortunately this only occurred on tour so the stakes were not too high.

"The four is next to the seven and I wanted to give a four but a seven showed up on the keypad and I went, 'Oh.' But I was on tour so I just went, 'Oh, erm, OK!' So then I had to go with a seven so I chose to say all the positive things rather than the negatives."

Craig was off sick with Covid-19 just a few weeks ago. This change-up led to many viewers believing that Dan Walker could be safe again, as Craig was one of the BBC presenter's harshest critics on the panel.

Craig revealed in the interview that although he has previously slammed Strictly viewers, he actually could see why Strictly viewers often had a different perspective to the judges and why people were voting for Dan.

"You're more involved in the celebrity's story at home," he said. "Whereas at work, I'm not as influenced by the VTs or anything, because I'm just there to judge that 1 minute 30 dance and not the actual story that surrounds it. Whereas when I was sat at home, you do."

"And then I see why people vote for people like Dan [Walker]. It's interesting, isn't it? Because he's probably one of the weaker dancers out of everyone that is left in this program but you still feel for him.

"So you sort of invest in that. It's a totally different sort of experience so I understand now why the audience are given 50% of the vote."

"I'm just there to uphold and wave the dance flag professionally, but then the people at home, they've invested in the human being themselves and their story and journey throughout it."

"So I do think it does sway them and I think it's why it's good having the audience having 50% of the power."

Although some experts have predicted that some couples’ ‘strong bond’ will see them to the Strictly final while others lack the chemistry to make it to the final, it's all still to play for in the competition as the remaining couples battle it out.

The Strictly final is now just around the corner and is expected to take place in just a few weeks. The next episode of Strictly Come Dancing is scheduled for Saturday, December 4, 2021, at 6.40 pm on BBC One.