Judge Rinder latest celebrity to be confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing
The openly gay TV judge says he is doing the show to make his grandmother proud.
Judge Robert Rinder has revealed he is the latest celebrity to join this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The criminal barrister and TV personality made the announcement on ex-contestant Scott Mills’s BBC Radio 1 afternoon show today.
“The only thing I knew would make my grandmother more proud than watching my TV courtroom was to see me dressed up in white tie doing the foxtrot,” Rinder told Mills.
“So although I suspect the latter will be far more difficult, I am doing Strictly Come Dancing for her.
“No doubt the judges will be as fair, kind and thoughtful as me (especially the charming Craig Revel Horwood). I shall await their verdicts.”
Rinder married his partner Seth Cummings in a civil ceremony officiated by actor Benedict Cumberbatch on the island of Ibiza in 2013.
He is the second openly gay contestant in this year’s Strictly line-up, after Will Young revealed he will also take part earlier this month.
Fans had speculated whether gay dancers could be paired with a same-sex partner this year, after Judge Craig Revel Horwood had hinted that changes will take place.
However, neither celebrity is likely to be paired with a same-sex dance partner after the BBC confirmed last week that Young would be paired with a female professional dance partner.
A statement said: “The show has chosen the traditional Latin and Ballroom format of mixed-sex couples.”
Revel Horwood last year conceded: “I was rather hoping for a same sex couple – I doubt that it’ll happen this year.
“But I’d love it to happen because that might put a spanner in the works.”
Rinder and Young join pop legend Anastacia, former Labour MP Ed Balls, Laura Whitmore, Ore Oduba, Melvin Odoom, Louise Redknapp, Danny Mac, Daisy Lowe and Naga Munchetty on this year’s show.
