Strictly scandalous: Judge Craig Revel Horwood admits rent boy past

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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Shock: Craig Revel Horwood's showbusiness career had an interesting beginning

Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has revealed he once worked as a rent boy at just 17.

The 43-year-old choreographer admits he became a gay prostitute to raise money to leave his Australian hometown, before becoming a drag act.

Revel Horwood, dubbed the BBC talent show's 'Mr Nasty' due to his cutting comments, will tell all about his life of vice in his forthcoming autobiography All Balls And Gliiter: My Life.

Revel Horwood's main customer was a famous Australian TV personality, who was 43 at the time.

The TV judge told the News Of The World: "I feel it's a part of my life that is very important I'm honest about."

After spending a year selling his body, Revel Horwood then transformed himself into a drag queen called Lavish.

The 18-year-old dressed up in ladies wigs, make-up, fishnet stocking and arm-length gloves for his risque show, which he toured the whole of Australia with.

Brought up in the gold mining town of Ballarat, Victoria - 65 miles away from Melbourne - Revel Horwood turned to prostitution in the hope of making his way to the big city.

A source tells the News Of The World: "Craig had big dreams and knew his passion was dancing.

"But he was surrounded by people with small-town mentalities, and had no money and no way to get out of town.

"He was dancing and performing in amateur theatre but his dad, who was in the navy, wasn't supportive at all.

"So he became a rent boy to get the cash to leave. It was not a decision he made lightly but he knew exactly what he was doing."

After raising enough money, Revel Horwood moved to Melbourne and started dance school and created Lavish to support himself.

Revel Horwood performed as Lavish for five years, but decided to 'kill her off' when he moved in Britain in the late 1980s.

During his dancing career, Revel Horwood performed at the Moulin Rouge in Paris and in Cats, Miss Saigon and Crazy For You in the West End.

Truth behind the panel: Revel Horwood (far right) is expected to reveal the secrets of the judging panel (L-R Bruno Tonioli, Arlene Phillips and Len Goodman)

Revel Horwood has focused his career on choreography and direction since 1994 and joined the first series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2004.

He is expected to reveal the secrets behind the judges' relationships in his book and his feud with professional dancer Brendan Cole.

His book is expected to be released in September - around the same time his fellow judge Len Goodman is publishing his autobiography.

A source said: "Craig's book will be much more salacious and nasty than Len's. He'll write a lot about how the judges—including Bruno Tonioli and Arlene Phillips—really interact backstage. Some of it is sure to offend them."

Referring to Cole, the source added: "They do not get on and Craig will tell exactly how he feels about him."

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