Strictly Come Dancing stalwart Craig Revel Horwood has predicted the hit ballroom show will feature a same-sex couple in the next few years.

The dancer, who has been on the judging panel since the show began, told OK! Magazine that he expected to see two men or two women on the dance floor competing for the glitter ball trophy.

He said: “A same sex couple on Strictly – that is on the cards.

Craig Revel Horwood
Craig Revel Horwood (BBC)

“It’ll be either this year or next year, but most certainly, it will happen. They did it already in Hungary or somewhere.

“We should encourage that sort of thing, absolutely. There are competitions throughout the world that have same sex couples, you just have to decide who goes backwards, darling.”

The show, currently presented by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, has featured professional male dancers performing together but not as part of the competition.