Let’s face it, Strictly wouldn’t be Strictly without Craig Revel Horwood’s pithy put-downs and scathing asides.

But after being asked by BBC bosses to tone things down, the long-serving judge says he’d rather quit the dance show than go easier on the celebrity contestants.

He told The Sun: “Every year I get told to tone it down and I don’t listen. Of course I won’t be toning it down this year.

“I’m going to be just like I’ve been for 16 years. I’m not changing for anyone, if that’s the case I’d rather not judge it. It will never work darling, I’ve got too much of a big mouth.”

Craig’s remarks come after he was forced to apologise to reigning Strictly champ Stacey Dooley for comments he made about her at the recording of this year’s launch show.

Although Craig’s joke about Stacey and her dance partner – and now boyfriend – Kevin Clifton never made it to air, they were caught on tape.

“Stacey was dragged up from the dance gutter, of course, if you sleep with your dance partner that helps,” he was reported to have said.

Craig later admitted he made a “huge error” in his quip and issued an apology to Stacey, saying: “I’m deeply sorry for the offence caused to Kevin and Stacey and everyone who works on the show.

“I recognise that what I said was hurtful, cruel and incredibly disrespectful. It was a huge error of judgment that I very much regret.”

This year’s Strictly Come Dancing got off to a flying start at the weekend, with former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher soaring to the top of the leaderboard with his Samba performance.

The actor was the only one of this year’s contestants that viewers were yet to see dance, having been brought in as a last-minute replacement when Jamie Laing injured himself during the show’s first group routine.

With all eyes on Kelvin during this series’ first live show, he more than delivered, impressing viewers and judges alike, with the panel giving him and partner Oti Mabuse a whopping 32 points for their must-watch routine – a record for a debut Samba.