THE COLE SHOULDER
Brendan Cole axed from Strictly Come Dancing after 13 years on the show
The dancer, 41, was visibly emotional as he announced the BBC has chosen not to renew his contract
BRENDAN Cole has been axed from Strictly Come Dancing.
The professional dancer, 41, was visibly gutted as he revealed on today's Lorraine that the BBC has chosen not to renew his contract.
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He said: “It’s quite, actually, hard to talk about.
“The BBC haven’t renewed my contract. We get contracted year upon year. They’ve made an editorial decision to not have me back on the show. I’m a little bit in shock. I’m quite emotional, a bit raw about it.
“It’s done via a process of a phone call and stuff. I have had 15 incredible series on the show. I’m very proud of the whole show. It’s a great team.”
He continued: “I’m disappointed. It’s very hard to talk about. It’s a recent decision.”
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Brendan said: “I’ve always known this day would come. To get to this point, the BBC make the decisions year upon year. It’s an editorial decision. I’m sure I’ll never know the ins and outs. I’m a very strong character within the show, I have my strong views.”
The dancer's most recent partner on the show, Charlotte Hawkins, has tweeted how sad she is about the decision.
She wrote: "Sad news from my dance partner @BrendanCole this morning that he won’t be a part of @bbcstrictly anymore. What an end of an era - he’s been such an integral part of the show since it started 15 series ago. It won’t be the same without him 😔😔."
Meanwhile, a Strictly spokesman wrote: "We'd like to thank @BrendanCole for being part of the show since the beginning - winner of the first series - and for the contribution he has made to its success. We wish him all the very best for the future."
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Brendan said he only told his fellow pros of the news 10minutes before going on air as his "heart had been racing".
He continued: "I would have preferred to have made the decision myself, but maybe I would never have made it because I love being on the show.
“The last five years I haven’t really made much of a noise on the show with my partners, they haven’t been able to do what I’ve wanted to do. No disrespect to them. I haven’t had one of the ones that had a bit of dance experience that you can really challenge.
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Brendan Cole reflects on his time on Strictly Come Dancing on It Takes Two
“So it’s one of those things where you go, I’ve asked this question many times of myself, ‘When do I leave?’ Every year, I’ve gone, ‘I love the show too much’. I love the fact that I’ve been there from the start. I feel like I’ve made a massive difference to the show and to the show that it is today.”
Brendan won the competition at the first time of asking when he was partnered with Natasha Kaplinsky.
The pairing were plagued by romance rumours and around this time Brendan's then fiancé Camilla Dallerup broke off their engagement.
He would go on to make the final again with Lisa Snowdon and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
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Earlier this month Brendan dished out some words of advice for the next batch of Strictly Come Dancing stars.
The professional dancer thinks the “show’s curse” can be stopped by making sure the celeb’s partner is involved throughout the show.
Speaking to , Brendan said: “I tell my partners, ‘Get your husband involved. Tell them to come to the studio’.
“It’s the same with my wife. As soon as there are moments of doubt... you’re spending more time with your partner than you are spending at home.”
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Describing the relationship between a dancer and their celeb partner, Brendan, who's wife Zoe Hobbs is pregnant with their second child, admitted there “is potential” for romances to blossom.
Ben Cohen left his wife Abby and moved on with his professional party Kristina Rihanoff after they met in 2013.
Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone split in 2007 and she went on to have a relationship with former EastEnders star Matt Di Angelo.
The dancer split with Matt after three years and married Jimi Mistry in 2003 after meeting him during his time on the BBC dancing competition.
Brendan Cole bids an emotional farewell to Strictly Come Dancing after being eliminated with Charlotte Hawkins
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