The 29-year-old former Strictly Come Dancing contestant made it to the final of the 10th series of the much-loved dance competition alongside her partner Vincent Simone, 39. In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, she said the judges sometimes “don’t really mean” what they say in their criticism of the hopefuls. Admitting she hasn’t had time to watch the most recent series due to her hectic work schedule and being mother to two-year-old daughter Avarie, Dani Harmer said: “But I imagine Craig [Revel Horwood] is still being his usual evil self and I’m sure Bruno [Tonioli] is still as bonkers as he ever had been.
“I think it is a shame that there’s not Len anymore, he’s just the nicest man and his feedback and criticism is the one person that I really took on board because Len really knew his stuff,” the Tracy Beaker actress added.
“If he told me something, I knew that I definitely had to work on it.
“But it’s a programme, it’s a bit like panto,” she insisted. “Sometimes I think people just say stuff just to get a reaction.
“I don’t think they really mean it.”
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Len, 74, stepped down as head judge after the 2016 series, with Shirley Ballas, 57, taking his place the following year.
Bruno and Craig have been key fixtures on the panel since Strictly first aired in 2004, while Darcey Bussell, 49, joined the line-up in 2012.
Meanwhile, Dani also opened up about her former professional dance partner Vincent.
She was his last celebrity partner as he left the show before the following series.
The mother-of-one joked she was glad he was no longer part of Strictly for “selfish” reason, saying: “I was his last dance, so I didn’t have to get jealous watching another celebrity dance with him.
“From my point of view, it was great!” she laughed.
“As a show, they’re missing a huge character in Vincent,” Dani added.
“No only is he a wonderful dancer but he’s also the nicest person on the planet and TV gold, he’s absolutely hilarious.”
Last weekend, Stacey Dooley, 31, was crowned Strictly champion 2018 with her partner Kevin Clifton, 36.
Despite coming bottom of the leaderboard, the pair managed to scoop the Glitterball trophy thanks to the public vote.
They had been the hot favourites for the win with bookies, with Ladbrokes pricing their odds at 8-15 going into the final.
Strictly fans don’t have to wait long for their next fix of sequinned glamour, with the Christmas Day special just around the corner.
Strictly Come Dancing airs Christmas Day at 5.30pm on BBC One.