EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: STRICTLY’S BRENDAN BITES BACK

In his first interview since being sacked from Strictly, Brendan Cole reveals... What REALLY went on with Natasha Kaplinsky How Strictly can easily RUIN a marriage And (take cover!) he has ANOTHER swipe at Shirley

Provocative, gloriously unpredictable — and, as judges, fans and fellow dancers will attest, possessed of a passionate fury when wronged. as anyone who’s ever watched Strictly come Dancing will tell you, professional dancer Brendan cole has run the gamut of emotions during his 15 explosive years on the show. But until this week, few have ever seen him close to tears.

Following his emotional appearance on itv’s Lorraine show on tuesday, he is trying his best to be philosophical about the ‘editorial decision’ [executive producer Louise rainbow’s words] not to renew his contract on the hit BBc show that made him a star.

‘i’ve got to be,’ he tells me. ‘otherwise i’d beat myself up wondering why.

‘i’ve had pretty much every range of emotions over the last week from sadness to excitement. i love . . .’ He corrects himself, ‘i loved being a pro on Strictly. i loved the fact i was there from the beginning. one of the saddest bits is that it will go on and i won’t be a part of it. it’s like not being invited to the party. You know they’re having a good time and you want to be a part of it.’

there is genuine sorrow as he speaks. ‘the interview i did on Lorraine was one of the hardest things i’ve ever done,’ he says.

‘Bear in mind, i hadn’t told anybody except my wife. But i wanted to have control of the situation because i am a control freak. i wanted to be the one to tell the people who like watching me dance. i didn’t want them to hear it through a tweet.

‘the BBc would have been happy if i’d said i’d wanted to leave the show and have my pride intact. But that’s not me. i don’t lie. i’m definitely upset. this is not something i wanted. i thought i had a few more years in me. i wasn’t ready to hang up the old dancing shoes.’

Nor were his many fans and colleagues ready to see him go.

the outcry following the news of his departure this week has been overwhelming. everyone from the runners to the show’s most gifted choreographers have been in touch to express their incredulity.

cole’s fellow dancer anton Du Beke, the only surviving member of the original professional lineup, was one of the first to contact him.

‘oh love,’ he texted. ‘this is bad news. already this year’s show will be less for you not being there. i’m going to miss you, my old love. i can’t quite believe it.’

Presenter tess Daly was also one of the first to pick up the phone. ‘She told me: “i can’t believe i’ve heard this news”. She was really gutted. tess and i go way back. We’ve been close for years.

‘there have been hundreds and hundreds of texts. as soon as i came off air, the phone was going all day. that’s the bit that’s made me feel as good as i do.

‘i should still feel sad but the support has been overwhelming. arlene [former judge arlene Phillips] and Len [former head judge Len Goodman] were two of the first people to text. Len said: “i hope you’re okay. Don’t worry. Bigger and better things will come to you”. that means a lot.’

But many fans are left wondering why the BBc would want to get rid of one of the show’s most colourful characters?

Needless to say, speculation has been rife, fuelled by BBc insiders who have made Brendan’s life close to a living hell during the past six months.

this included a malicious whispering campaign about everything from his close friendship with professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova (more of which later) to claims that he is an egotistical nightmare backstage.

earlier this week, an industry insider claimed that the decision not to renew cole’s contract was made following an ultimatum from the judges for him to go after he ‘disrespected’ head judge Shirley Ballas when she criticised the tango he had performed with breakfast tv presenter charlotte Hawkins in week three of the show.

‘i don’t know if that was handled the right way on air. if you disagree with somebody, which i did that particular day about the way she felt we danced the tango, you have the right to say what i did.

‘i didn’t get aggressive. i said: “Well, i disagree”. anybody can watch that footage back and make up their own mind. then Bruno stepped in and said his piece, that i should be more respectful, which i still don’t get. But what i certainly regret is saying: “i will, my dear.”

‘the phrase “my dear” is patronising and i certainly didn’t mean to be. i’m not a patronising person. But you’re on a live tv show and you’re frustrated with the situation.

‘Your adrenalin’s going. You’re at a heightened point of your emotions. twenty minutes later you’d handle things very differently. But i’d just done a dance live on air with charlotte, who i really care about. You want the best for her. You want to stay in the show and you know you’re vulnerable because you’re certainly not one of the best couples.

‘So, yes, if i could take that back i would. But the last six months have been pretty horrendous. if i could work it out, i would. all i know is you can’t put a foot wrong. You can’t even dip a toe on the other side within that world because it will be taken, it will be run with, and before long you’re in a s***storm.’

although baffled and bruised, cole, 41, shows no signs of bitterness. in truth, he has been inundated with numerous offers since he announced his departure and, such is his nature, is genuinely excited about the future. He was, though, deeply shaken when he first learnt he would be leaving the show, which paid him a reported £50,000 per series.

cole was in Buxton, Derbyshire with his touring dance show all Night Long nine days ago when the call came.

‘the normal situation with Strictly, when they ask us to return or not, is we get a phone call around now.

‘there’s always that little bit of you that thinks, i wonder if they’ll want me back. You just don’t know. So it was 15 series of waiting for this day to come. every year, particularly as the show has got bigger and bigger, you think: i really want to be there. i hope i haven’t blown it. i hope i’m still exciting people.

‘i was in a hotel room when my agent called me first. there was a massive feeling of: “the day i’ve dreaded has come”. then i had a call from the executive producer of the show [Louise rainbow] and the director of BBc Studios [Mark Linsey].

‘it was a very frank conversation. there’s not a lot you can say when they give you news like that. i’m really passionate on air. everyone knows what my character’s like, but it is a character to a certain extent. Without the lights, camera, action, you have a normal conversation.

‘they said: “Listen Brendan, we’d like to thank you for your time on the show but we’ve taken an editorial decision that we won’t be renewing your contract next year”. i said: “okay, thank you. i’m disappointed but i love the show”.’

aware that what he says next will surprise fans who know only his combustible side, he gives a wry smile. ‘i actually congratulated Louise rainbow on what she’d done with the show.

‘then i called my wife. She was disappointed for me because she knew how much it meant to me. i suppose for her it was hard because we weren’t together. When you have a big moment like that in your life you want the people around you whom you love and trust.

‘Within a few hours, though, i had to be on stage in my show. i felt raw. ridiculously raw. the

‘I wanted to be the one to tell people’

‘I just felt raw, emotional but now liberated’