20 December 2023 , 12:11
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Brendan Cole has given his opinion on which Strictly Come Dancing pros could leave the show soon.
The 47-year-old New Zealander shot to fame as a pro dancer on Strictly when it started back 2004. But he was dropped after 13 years when the BBC failed to renew his contract in 2017 reportedly following an on-air spat with head judge Shirley Ballas.
Now he has revealed what things were really like working on the show and says it’s unlikely any of the current pro dancers including Giovanni Pernice, Gorka Marquez, Katya Jones, Kai Widdrington, Dianne Buswell, Johannes Radebe and reigning winner Vito Coppola - who won the 2023 series with former Coronation Street star Ellie Leach – will leave of their own accord.
After previously sharing he earned just £35,000 when he worked on Strictly and couldn’t afford to buy a car, he said: “I would be surprised. I don’t know too many pros who have left of their own accord, because it’s a good job. At the end of the season, you know that you are getting exposure.”
Brendan was a pro dancer on Strictly for 13 years until he was axed in 2017 (BBC/Guy Levy)In a chat with Sky Bingo, Brendan explained: “You know that from exposure you get work, and for work, you get money. So I doubt very much – unless somebody’s got an incredible offer to go somewhere else – I can’t see many of them getting that kind of opportunity because I don’t think that they’re popular enough as it stands.”
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The star, who is now thought to be worth around £3million and one of New Zealand’s richest dance exports after being a judge on their version of Dancing with the Stars, admitted he was “in shock” after being axed from Strictly.
He told Lorraine at the time: "This is quite hard to talk about. The BBC haven’t renewed my contract – we get renewed year on year – and they made an editorial decision not to have me back on the show. I’m a little bit in shock. I’m quite emotional, a bit raw about it."
Brendan is said to have had a 'feud' with Shirley Ballas after she got the head judge job (BBC)The professional dancer admitted it was not his decision to leave - and speculated it could be because he's a 'strong character'. He said: “I’ve always known this day would come. 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.”
Brendan was also rumoured to have been embroiled in a behind-the-scenes feud with head judge , after she scored the top job that Brendan had been favourite for.
He shared: “Obviously everyone that was up for it would want it. It is an amazing opportunity in terms of a spot. It would have been a natural progression from being a dancer on the show. I was obviously disappointed that I didn’t get it but at the same time my place has always been a dancer on the show."
Opening up on what it’s like behind the scenes of the hit BBC dance show, he previously told Now magazine: “My money from Strictly just about pays the bills. I don’t have a car. I would like to get one, but until then I'm on the Tube. I don't even own my house. I can't afford it. I rent where I live.”
He also revealed he “hated” working with most of his celebrity partners who couldn’t do the moves he wanted them to, telling the Mirror: “You’re in such trouble if you don’t get with your partner. I really enjoyed working with half of them [the celebs on Strictly] and I really hated working with the other half. 60/40 and I'm not sure which way that goes either. The connection between the partnership is vital. If you get on really well, you’ll have an amazing time. And the opposite is true when you don’t get along well – you can’t wait for it to finish and plead ‘please stop voting people!’”
These day Brendan has swapped his showbiz career for a life in the sun and revealed he had recently moved to Majorca with his model wife Zoe Hobbs, who he wed in 2010, and their two children. Back in July he revealed the family were living in a tent as they had their house renovated.