STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood has come under fire for making a poorly placed joke about booze to recovering alcoholic Paul Merson.
The judge raised eyebrows at home as he commented that the drinks at the BBQ, which was part of the staging, had given the former footballer confidence to dance.
Paul quickly hit back: " I don't drink."
Speaking about his salsa to Fireball by Pitbull, Craig continued: "It was like a comedy dance at a wedding I’m afraid. It was really not good. Those shunts were terrible."
Viewers felt the comment was very insensitive to the Arsenal legend, 56, now a Sky Sports pundit, who has overcome drink, drug and gambling addictions.
One person wrote: “Craig needs to do his homework & research on the contestants. Unnecessary remark to Paul Merson.”
A second questioned: “Did Craig really just say he thought the drinks at the bbq gave Paul Merson confidence. Tactless in the extreme.”
While a third said: “Oh gosh not really good of Craig to make a drinks joke to Paul Merson.”
“Craig's comment to Paul Merson was in very poor taste. I hope he gets an apology,” added a fourth.
Paul, who is dancing with pro Karen Hauer, has opened up on his troubles in a number of TV documentaries.
In the 2019 ITV doc Harry’s Heroes: The Full English, he had a candid discussion with Harry Redknapp about how substance abuse and gambling affected his life.
The three-times wed ace said at the time: “Addiction is the most lonely of places and I’ve had three of the worst types over three decades. Never be afraid to talk — you’re never alone.”
Paul, who notoriously blew his £7million career earnings on alcohol, drugs and gambling in the 1990s, also revealed he still had to fight the urge to bet.
And in 2021 he again faced his past problems with betting in BBC documentary Football, Gambling and Me.
Paul ended up getting a score of 15 for his performance which featured a dramatic lift that saw him flip Karen from a straddle split position.
Judge Anton Du Beke said his performance "thrilled me no end" and hailed him as "extraordinary" as he joked that he did not want to talk about the technique "because there isn't any".
While head judge Shirley Ballas added that she was a "little bit lost for words" at the performance but called it "pure entertainment".
