Strictly Come Dancing's fearsome judge Craig Revel Horwood is the ballroom villain we can't help but love. Be it his fabulous on-screen outfits or his frightfully honest commentary, the dancer and choreographer is the only original Strictly cast member to remain on the judging panel.
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While he remains a prominent part of the BBC show, Craig is sadly no longer able to perform himself. After suffering a painful injury during a performance of Snow White in 2013 that left him in crippling pain, the star was diagnosed with a debilitating degenerative bone disease.
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Speaking to the Daily Express, the 57-year-old star said: "I assumed I'd ripped a ligament," when discussing his on-stage injury nine years ago.
"I spent the rest of the panto run on extremely strong painkillers, a lot of massage and physiology and changed my high heels to lower ones. But it didn’t get any better," said Craig, who despite his efforts, experienced pain that got "progressively worse."
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© Photo: RexThe star suffered an injury during a panto performance in 2013
The professional dancer was eventually diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a common form of arthritis in athletes and dancers as it normally occurs from overuse of a joint.
Craig joked: "It's all those years of can-cans and dropping the splits. Classical ballet can be quite detrimental to your body."
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The star has gone on to have two hip replacement surgeries due to experiencing severe pain. The first was in 2013 shortly after his injury, while the second was in 2018.
© Photo: RexCraig has undergone two hip replacement surgeries as a result of osteoarthritis
What is Craig Revel-Horwood's condition osteoarthritis?
According to the NHS, the main symptoms of osteoarthritis include swelling, tenderness and cracking of the joints which can lead to pain when moving.
It most commonly affects the knees, hips and small joints in the hands, but can affect any part of the body. While symptoms vary, some cases of osteoarthritis can cause continuous and severe problems which make it difficult for those with the disease to carry out everyday activities.
There is no cure, but there are ways you can reduce symptoms and relieve the pain with the condition.
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