Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole has broken his silence on the ongoing scandal surrounding the BBC show.
The 48-year-old actor was fired from the series in 2018 after 15 years, after claims he was “difficult to work with.”
The once beloved series is currently embroiled in controversy over the way its professional dancers teach the celebrities, with multiple allegations of bullying and offensive behavior.
Brendan reflects on his own ‘difficult time’ on the show and working with some celebrities he ‘didn’t like that much’.
Narrate Metro: ‘[Strictly is] the best job in the world, but also the worst. If you find someone you enjoy working with and they enjoy working with you, that’s phenomenal.
Former Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole, 48, has broken his silence on the BBC show’s ongoing scandal
He was axed from the series in 2018 after 15 years on TV after it was claimed he was ‘difficult to work with’ (pictured with Emmedale star Claire King on the show in 2006)
Brendan, who has worked with players including Fiona Phillips, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Kaplinsky over the years, says it can be really tough training 12 hours a day with someone you ‘don’t get along with’.
Telling the publication: ‘It’s the job of the pro to help the celebrities through it. I’ve had some tough ones; I didn’t like them, they didn’t like me, but you persevere.’
Before adding, “At the same time, I’ve had some fantastic partners that I’ve enjoyed working with. You take the good and the bad and hopefully you come out unscathed.”
This comes after her former partner and Emmerdale actress Claire King called Brendan “really mean” after he “eroded her confidence” in a new interview.
The 62-year-old actress, who plays Kim Tate in the soap, competed in the BBC series alongside the professional dancer in 2006, where they finished in sixth place.
Speaking with The MirrorAccording to Sunday People, Claire received “no moral support” from Brendan after her appearance on the show, who had been negative about her in his own interviews.
She said: ‘He had no confidence in me and certainly never did anything to boost my confidence. He has a very negative attitude.
‘Brendan undermines my confidence and I don’t feel like he’s given me much support. He’s said some really nasty things about me in the press, like saying I smell like smoke.
Brendan recalled his own ‘difficult time’ on the show and working with some celebrities he ‘didn’t like that much’ (pictured with Natasha Kaplinsky in 2004)
Brendan, who has worked with players including Fiona Phillips, Sophie Ellis-Bextor (pictured) and Natasha Kaplinsky over the years, said it can be very tough training 12 hours a day with someone you ‘don’t get along with’
Saying: ‘It’s the pro’s job to help the celebrities through it. I’ve had some tough ones; I didn’t like them, they didn’t like me, but you persevere’ (pictured with Victoria Pendalon in 2012)
‘He takes longer than the younger candidates to pick things up and Brendan is very intolerant and impatient with me. He has a very short fuse – we both do.’
MailOnline has contacted Brendan’s representative for comment.
The bullying allegations have resurfaced at a time of crisis for the show, amid multiple abuse scandals and a misconduct investigation, with insiders saying the show is now “fatally tarnished.”
The 30-year-old Pro Graziano Di Prima was axed from the upcoming series following reports that he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year’s competition.
This came after another professional, Giovanni Pernice (33), was suspended from the show last month following allegations of off-screen misconduct – which he denies – by Amanda Abbington (50) and two other former celebrities.
This comes after former partner and Emmerdale actress Claire King called Brendan ‘really mean’ after he ‘undermined her confidence’ in a new interview
After her appearance on the show in 2016, Claire said she received “no moral support” from Brendan, who had spoken negatively about her in his own interviews
This comes after a video emerged showing former professional Brendan Cole slapping his partner, Fiona Phillips, three times on the bottom during rehearsals in 2005.
Elsewhere, footage has emerged, broadcast on It Takes Two in 2005, showing former professional Brendan calling TV presenter Fiona “pathetic” and slapping her three times on the bottom.
Fiona asks Brendan to stop yelling at her, after which she says he “looked at me like I was something he had stepped into.”
Fiona commented on his firing in 2020, claiming her ex-partner was “not that nice” and that it was “karma” that his contract was not renewed.
The former GMTV and Lorraine presenter told the Daily Star: ‘Brendan was a real b****r, actually. He wasn’t very nice. He was really naughty.
“He’s not on the show right now. Karma indeed. It works his way every time.”