Give me a seat on the Strictly judging panel and I’ll cha-cha-chat up gorgeous Darcey Bussell, says Brendan Cole
Strictly Come Dancing's most controversial dancer reveals why he deserves to replace Len Goodman as judge on the hit BBC show
BRENDAN Cole today reveals the secret behind-the-scenes battle to replace Len Goodman as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing.
In his most honest interview ever, the hit BBC show’s controversial dancer tells of his devastation at backstage claims he is too “cocky” to join the panel — and says either he or fellow dancer Anton Du Beke would do a better job than the current line-up.
Brendan Cole met up with The Sun’s Dan Wootton to discuss the possibility of him joining the Strictly judging panel
Happily married dad-of-one Brendan also discloses how he has had a long-running crush on sole female judge Darcey Bussell.
And despite being the man who launched the Strictly curse, he controversially claims he loves the show’s reputation for dooming relationships. Brendan says: “I like the Strictly curse — I think it’s a great tag.
Brendan Cole dancing with his ‘crush’ Darcey Bussell
“Being there for such a long time, I’ve seen it all — the good times, the bad times, I’ve seen that people’s relationships have fallen and some that have blossomed on the show.”
I meet my fellow Kiwi — who rarely speaks about his 13 years on Strictly — at a central London hotel just hours after he has been practising with the line-up of this year’s celebrities.
The 40-year-old has been on the show since its first series in 2004
But all the talk is of 72-year-old head judge Len’s decision to step down at the end of the series.
The top contenders to replace him on the panel are Brendan, 40, and Anton, 50, the only pro dancers to be with the show since its 2004 outset, who both harbour ambitions for a bigger role. They also happen to be close pals.
Len Goodman has said he will leave the show after this year’s series
Speaking for the first time about Len’s job, Brendan says: “I don’t think it’s going to be open and shut. I think they’ll go through a process like the BBC do with all of their big decisions.
“It makes sense for people to speculate it would be either Anton or myself because we’ve been there from the start.”
Brendan thinks the spot on the judging panel will be between him and fellow dancer Anton Du Beke
But it’s clear Brendan — a judge on the New Zealand version of Strictly for five years — believes they both have what it takes over the hiring of an outsider.
He says: “I’ve done judging in a different country. And if you look at Anton and myself we’re definitely good at what we do and what you need to do to create good entertainment.
“I don’t agree with a lot of what the judges say — I’ve got 34 years of dance experience.
“I got to the top of my game and I didn’t do it the easy way — I worked my a**e off to get there, so I’ve done the hard work.”
Then Brendan pauses, looks at me somewhat accusingly and says: “According to you I’m not in the running anyway.”
He’s referring to my exclusive in The Sun revealing that some folk backstage at Strictly think Brendan’s persona is too arrogant and cocky for the judging role.
The Sun exclusively revealed that many backstage at Strictly feel Brendan is too arrogant for the role of judge
He explains: “I don’t see myself as cocky, I see myself as confident. If people see me as arrogant it’s a shame because I’m not.
“It’s like being called the bad boy of ballroom. I was called that for the first few years of Strictly because I was very outspoken.
Brendan dancing with partner Sophie Ellis-Bextor in 2013
“But I’ve been a married happy man with a child for many years.”
Brendan says he has even toned down his “bolshie” on-screen behaviour to avoid any embarrassment to his wife, model Zoe Hobbs — mother of his three-year-old daughter Aurelia.
Brendan with his wife, model Zoe Hobbs
I’m intrigued by Brendan’s relationship with the judging panel these days.
He admits it has been “up and down” with Len, who he knew on the dance circuit long before they both starred in Strictly from 2004. He adds: “It’s rocky at times, phenomenal at times. But I’ve got a lot of respect for him.
“He’s irreplaceable. Whoever steps into his shoes, they’ve got to make their own thing of it.”
Brendan is surprisingly a friend of Craig Revel Horwood, 51, despite frequent on-screen clashes.
He says with a laugh: “We kind of pretend to hate each other; it’s very easy to do, he’s a very unattractive man.”
Bruno Tonioli, 60, is “as mad as a box of frogs on the panel” but off-screen is “a very smart fella”.
But when I mention Darcey, 47, Brendan blushes.
He says sheepishly: “I’ve always had a bit of a crush on her. I saw her in a room at the Royal Albert Hall and it’s one of the first and only people I’ve ever been in awe of.”
That said, Brendan is candid in admitting that other than Anton, he isn’t pals with anyone from Strictly away from the studio.
He explains: “We don’t go round for BBQs to each other’s houses. I don’t do that with anybody bar Anton. It’s a working relationship.”
Among the pro dancers, there have always been rumours of tension, especially with big personalities James Jordan and Kristina Rihanoff, who have both now left.
Brandan says: “There will be tensions at certain points. I can’t say it has always been a phenomenal group of pros.
“There have been some pros where the show has been better off without them here, but that’s the nature of television.
“It only takes one person out of 15 to not be a team player — I can think of three or four over the years . . .”
He doesn’t believe Ola Jordan went out in the right way last year by claiming Strictly is fixed.
He says: “The show is so scrutinised. It just doesn’t happen. I find it sad when people leave the show and they are bitter with it.”
As for the Strictly curse, you could hold Brendan partly responsible; his rumoured affair with newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky in series one got the ball rolling. His engagement to pro dancer Camilla Dallerup ended soon after.
But with BBC producers talking to celebs about the risks of the Strictly curse for the first time this year, he has a simple solution.
He explains: “It’s really important for us pros to advise the celebs, ‘You’ve got to include your partner. If you’re in a relationship, get them involved in the show as much as they wish to be.’
“It gives you the opportunity to share that experience with somebody rather than it be that kind of thing where jealousy does come into it — and people do get jealous.
“My wife doesn’t really want to be involved. She’s quite happy watching on the telly and me talking about it occasionally. But if my wife was on the show I’d probably get jealous.”
Brendan says this year’s celebs are shaping up nicely.
They’ve been practising their first group dance ahead of finding out who is partnered with who on Saturday’s launch show. He reveals: “When you see the names, the first concern is what is it going to be like when everybody’s in a room? But it was a phenomenal dynamic.”
Whether he is elevated to the panel or not, Brendan is committed to Strictly.
He says: “You don’t know when you’re going to want to hang up your shoes — or when they’re going to want you to hang up your shoes.
“There has always been a magic with Strictly. I hope they want Anton and I to keep our spots for a long time.”
Why he’s murder on the dance floor
- AFFAIR He was rumoured to be having an affair with his dance partner, newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, during series one. She denied it, but both she and Brendan split with their partners.
- BUST-UP WITH LEN Brendan told Len Goodman he “should’ve gone to Specsavers,” after the head judge accused him of not featuring enough jive moves in a 2010 routine. Len retaliated: “Turn up, keep up, shut up.” Angered Brendan, absent the week before as his father had died – replied: “You don’t need to turn up at all.”
- BULLYING CLAIMS Brendan and GMTV host Fiona Phillips clashed constantly in 2005. He branded her the worst partner he’d ever had, threatened to “duff up” Fiona if she couldn’t learn her steps and speculated that she must be a “crap shag”.
- STORMING OFF When Craig Revel Horwood referred to Jo Wood’s 2009 Viennese Waltz as like a “bush kangaroo,” Brendan huffily marched her off stage.
- PUBLIC HUMILIATION Brendan told ex-Emmerdale actress Claire King he really wanted to partner Carol Smillie or Emma Bunton in 2006. She later delighted in quashing rumours of an affair.
Road to glitter glory
JANUARY: Contestants are chosen, and must keep tight-lipped until they are officially announced.
AUGUST: Launch show sees celebs matched with their partners. It will be recorded on Wednesday for broadcast on BBC1 at 6.50pm next Saturday.
SEPTEMBER: Pairs train for three weeks. The first dance show, with half the pairs performing, is on September 23. The remainder dance on the 24th.
OCTOBER to DECEMBER: Strictly is on every Saturday, with the famous glitterball trophy awarded after the final on December 17.