Craig Revel Horwood believes Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton’s rumoured romance is a "blessing".
The 36-year-old professional dancer – who split with his wife and fellow dancer Karen Clifton in March last year – and the ‘Stacey Dooley Investigates’ star have been rumoured to have struck up a romance following their time partnered together on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ last year, which they went on to win as a pair.
And now, Craig – who is a judge on the BBC Latin and ballroom dance competition – has said he doesn’t believe in the "curse" that suggests being on the show causes couples to break up when celebrities embark on romances with their dance partners, as he sees the blossoming new relationships as "successes".
He said: "I was surprised by that! Obviously they left it until later on. I hope they live happily ever after.
"It will be another Strictly success story. I never call it the ‘Strictly curse’. I call it the Strictly blessing. People need to fall in love."
Craig believes it’s natural for people to "fall in love" on the show, but doesn’t think the programme is to blame for any failed relationships, as he says splits are inevitable as the so called "curse" never strikes anyone in a "strong loving relationship".
Speaking to TV Week in Australia, the 54-year-old star said: "You’re dancing up close and personal and spending all of your time with that one person.
"Of course people fall in love. But my point is, if your relationship in real life is suffering anyway, it’s going to happen anyway whether it happens on ‘Strictly’ … or in real life. If you have a strong loving relationship in the first place, that stuff just doesn’t happen."
Rumours of Stacey and Kevin’s romance began when her ex-boyfriend Sam Tucknott claimed to have learned of their relationship via text, after he and Stacey ended their five-year romance earlier this year.
He said: "I was getting my stuff to leave. Stacey was in the loo.
"Her phone went and it was Kevin Clifton – ‘I love you’ with a red love heart.
"I grabbed the phone and confronted her. She said she’d tell me everything I needed to know."
According to Sam, Stacey subsequently confessed to falling for Kevin during their time on ‘Strictly’.
She wrote: "Sam, I know you hate me at the moment.
"But you saw I didn’t start entertaining and texting him (Kevin) until I split up with you. I was not with you when we started it all.
"I did fall for him but when we were done. I will tell you anything you want to know."
Craig Revel Horwood brands Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton romance a ‘blessing’
