Ladies, avoid Strictly curse.. bring your husbands!
Brendan Cole’s tip to celeb dancers
STRICTLY favourite Brendan Cole is offering celebs steps to swerve the show’s infamous love curse.
The pro dancer is urging the stars to bring their partners to rehearsals and get them involved in the BBC contest.
Brendan, 41, was hit by the curse when his engagement to fellow dancer Camilla Dallerup, 43, collapsed amid rumours of his fling with newsreader and partner Natasha Kaplinsky, 45.
In 2010 he married model Zoe Hobbs, who is expecting their second child. He 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.”
He said dancing on Strictly is intimate, intense and emotional: “Of course there is a potential for falling a little bit in love.”
In December, 2016 contestant Louise Redknapp’s 19-year marriage to football pundit Jamie ended in divorce. They denied Strictly played a part. But other relationships have fallen foul of the curse. In 2016, ex-rugby player Ben Cohen, 39, divorced his wife Abby and had a baby girl with Kristina Rihanoff, 40, his partner in the 11th series of the show in 2013. Dancers Flavia Cacace, 37, and Vincent Simone, 38, split after the 2007 show, and she dated Eastenders star Matt Di Angelo, 30, for three years. In 2010 she dated another celeb partner, Corrie’s Jimi Mistry, 45. They married in 2013. Brendan has danced on Strictly with model Kelly Brook and singer Sophie Ellisbextor, both 38. When asked if he had fallen for any of his partners he said: “Oh many times. Every single one.” He hinted he will return this year and added: “It is a great show. I like being on it.” halina.watts@trinitymirror.com