Brendan Cole slams Strictly Come Dancing judge job rivals who are ahead of him in race to replace Len Goodman

STRICTLY pro Brendan Cole has slammed former dancers who are ahead of him in the race to replace head judge Len Goodman.

Both Karen Hardy, 46, and Ian Waite, 45, are in the running behind the bookie’s favourite Anton du Beke, 50, to join the panel for the next series.

But during a live TV interview Brendan, 40, yesterday questioned why Karen or Ian would be in the running ahead of them.

While their odds came up on the screen of Good Morning Britain, Brendan said to Piers Morgan: “Why would he be, why would she be?”

When questioned about replacing Len, 72, he added: “Listen, that’s fine. I’m not going for the job. I would love the job.

“I’ve been a judge on the New Zealand version for five years. Len’s irreplaceable. Whoever does take the role has to make it their own.”

It comes as Anton has revealed he’s prepared for the disappointment of not being offered the role.

The Sun has already revealed that producers are auditioning Karen during the show’s live tour where she will join Len and Craig Revel Horwood, 51, on the panel.

He said: “What will happen is that I will get my hopes up and I will think to myself ‘Yeah, I would really like to do that’ and then they won’t ask me and then I will be disappointed.

“You have a lot of that in this business where you think ‘Oh hello, I am going to get this or I am going to get that’ and it does not happen and you get disappointed.

“I love what I am doing already. I love being on the show and the thing for me is that I just want to be in the show.”