Strictly Come Dancing's Craig Revel Horwood suggests Shirley Ballas should get paid less

Horwood sounded disgruntled that the recently appointed head judge is being paid more than him

Strictly Come Dancing is the latest show to become caught up in the BBC's gender pay gap controversy, after Craig Revel Horwood aired his views on the salary of head judge Shirley Ballas.

Horwood suggested that Ballas had done "absolutely nothing" to earn the same as former head judge Len Goodman, who was replaced by Ballas on the competitive celebrity dance competition last year.

"The point about this pay thing is, yes, I think women should be paid the same as men. That's for sure," Horwood told The Sun. "But what would you say to a woman coming in after you've been in the job for 15 years when they've done absolutely nothing to earn it? I don't think that's right."

He continued: "For instance, Shirley Ballas, in that way, you'd expect she would start on something lower because she's never been on TV before. The show's been going for 14 years. Len Goodman earned a major reputation and put the show on the map, like we all did. We all created it from the beginning. And I don't think it's reasonable. Sorry. It just isn't."

Horwood's comments were backed by his former Strictly colleague Arlene Phillips during an interview on Lorraine, where she said: "I do think experience counts, if you're on a show in the West End and you decide to stay on, you get an increase every year for the experience that you've had.

"Then when you go back to square one because you want to do a new show, you go back to everybody's starting salary - your age doesn't carry weight. He [Horwood]'s been on the show for about 15 years and I think they should rise every year absolutely. But it's important that women do get the same pay - same job, same pay grade. But also for experience - Craig has been there a long time and I think he deserves every penny."

According to the BBC's salary disclosures, Horwood and his fellow judges Bruno Tonioli and Darcey Bussell earn between £150,000 - £199,999 for their work on Strictly. Ballas was reportedly paid £180,000 when she joined the BBC One show last year - less than her predecessor - but has apparently had that salary boosted to £250,000 for her second year on the show, matching Goodman's former salary and overtaking Horwood's.

"I do believe if a woman is doing the same job as a man then everybody should be on equal pay," Ballas said recently. "I do also understand that my first time on Strictly was like a trial, so to speak. You've got to see that you can do the job. I felt that everybody was really happy and I'm sure they will be more than fair."