Ex-Strictly star Brendan Cole exposes truth about ‘rough’ partnerships with celebs-Rachel Corcoran-Entertainment – Metro

What happens when you don’t like your dance partner? (Picture: Getty/BBC/Shutterstock)

Former Strictly dancer Brendan Cole, 48, left the show in 2017 after being part of it since its start 13 years earlier.

In this weekend’s Sixty Seconds, he reflects on the Bruce Forsyth years and emphasises the importance of gelling with your dance partner.

The Strictly veteran also admits amid the current storm over alleged misconduct on the show, that he didn’t always like the stars he was paired with and shares his excitement to be getting on stage with some of his fellow ex-professionals.

When do you start training for your new stage show, Legends Of The Dance Floor?

We start rehearsals next month so my job at the moment is getting match-fit. I’ve been dancing my whole life, so that’s the easy bit, but you want to get that fitness level. You can go to the gym as many times as you want but, ultimately, until you’re actually dancing and working with your partner, you’re not going to know what’s hit you.

The gang’s all here (Picture: The TCB Group)

You’re dancing with James Jordan, Vincent Simone, Pasha Kovalev and Ian Waite. How did it all come about?

I’ve put on my own theatre productions but this is the promoter and producer’s idea. He broached it with me a couple of years ago and finally it’s come to fruition. We’re all old friends so the camaraderie and banter is insane. We haven’t all been on Strictly at the same time so it’s the first time we’ve all worked together.

Have you all changed – or are you as competitive and headstrong as ever?

Brendan joined the show in 2004 (Credits: Getty Images)

We’re very headstrong but definitely more relaxed. I think you get to a certain point in your career where it doesn’t actually matter if you’re the youngest, fittest, tallest or hottest – it’s about enjoying what you do. There’s always lots of peacocking but it’s done with humour so there’ll be a lot of naughtiness. We’ve all got very big personalities on stage but we’re all very supportive of each other.

Strictly is having a difficult time at the moment. How crucial is it that you gel with your celebrity partner?

Amanda Abbington accused her partner Giovanni Pernice of being ‘unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean’ (Credits: Ray Burniston/BBC/PA)

It’s the best job in the world but it’s also the worst. If you get someone you enjoy working with and they enjoy working with you, it’s phenomenal. You’re going through this beautiful experience, hopefully getting as far as you can.

But if you get someone you don’t gel with, it doesn’t mean either of you isn’t a nice person, it means it’s really hard when you’re spending eight to 12 hours a day with somebody in that environment with that intensity, with the pressure of learning something new every week then performing and being critiqued.

It’s the pro’s job to get the celebrities through it. I’ve had a few rough ones; I didn’t particularly like them, they didn’t like me, but you push through. At the same time I’ve had fantastic partners who I’ve loved working with. You take the good and the bad and hopefully come out unscathed.

Some partnerships can be life-changing. Some find love, and Johannes Radebe helped Annabel Croft with her grief.

Annabel Croft called Strictly her ‘therapy’ after losing her husband Mel Coleman to bowel cancer (Picture: Hoda Davaine/Dave Benett/Getty Images)

That’s the beauty of the show. It’s actually more emotional than physical. Obviously you’re dancing so it’s physical, but emotionally the likes of Annabel and various others who really committed to the show – it has changed their life, which is magical.

But the emotional side of it is much more difficult than the physical one. It’s so much more intense than anybody realises. The pros have to be there 100 per cent for their partners because what they go through is immense.

As one of the original dancers, how has the show changed?

Dramatically. Some things for the better, some for the worse. Back then it was all very innocent and calm and was more about the beauty of ballroom and Latin dancing. Now it’s more about how many sparkles you can put on a frock and how many lights you can put in the background, which has its plusses but also its minuses.

I loved the Brucey days when it was a bit more old-school. Maybe that’s because I’m 48 and old. There was – a magic about it.

Aljaz Skorjanec is returning as a pro – you too?

Aljaz Skorjanec returns to Strictly after a two-year hiatus (Credits: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Yeah, that’s amazing. They’re running out of pros, I might get the call-up! If they come with the right number, I’ll consider it! No, that’s a joke 
– I wouldn’t do that.

Should Strictly have a couple of years off after its 20th anniversary?

I don’t have anything other than praise for the show, and if they took it down and brought it back, what would be different? Its beauty is that it reaches all ages. The fact that four generations of people can sit down and watch the same show and all enjoy it is quite amazing.

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