Len Goodman has opened up about his infamous clash with former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Will Young.
Head judge Len criticised Pop Idol winner Will when he spoke back during Len’s comments.
And Len admits he would have been less harsh if Will had listened.
Len told The Sun: “I told him I would have like to have seen a bit more Salsa content and he said ‘well there was 24 bars of recognisable’ and I said ‘well I didn’t see it’.
“I then said ‘turn up, keep up and shut up’. I was going to say ‘turn up, keep up and never give up’ because I had that in my head as a line for some time which would have been nice.
“But because he went on like that and I had that little line in my head it ended up as it ended up.”
Will quit this year’s series soon after Len’s comments but he insists the singer’s departure was not his fault.
Len said: “It was unfortunate that he went the week I said to him he has to ‘turn up, keep up and shut up’.
“But it wasn’t said in a vicious way. I said there wasn’t enough content which really isn’t even a pop at him - it’s a pop at the choreographer.
“I did ask other people if it was because of that he packed it in and I’ve been assured it wasn’t.”