Dancing On Ice star Brendan Cole has been impressing both fans and judges alike on the show, scoring the first 10 of the series last weekend (February 20).
The former Strictly Come Dancing professional has managed not to ruffle any feathers so far during his stint performing on ice skates, but that hasn’t always been the case.
In fact, Brendan has had his fair share of controversial moments over the years of his professional career, including a string of high profile conflicts with his Strictly Come Dancing co-stars.
Here we take a look at some of the most standout feuds to spark from his fiery professionalism to date.
Fiona Phillips
(Image: Daily Mirror)
Former GMTV presenter Fiona, 60, was paired with Brendan in series three of Strictly in 2005.
In 2020 Fiona told the Daily Star: “Brendan was a real b***er, actually. He wasn’t very nice. He was really naughty.”
Fiona has since admitted that she had too much going on at work and at home at the time, and regrets doing the show, admitting to the Mirror that she “was self-conscious and wasn’t very good” during the competition.
(Image: ITV)
However, she also said that Brendan was a “rough old taskmaster” and she didn’t like that she became a “comedy type figure” on the show.
Pro dancer Brendan was dropped from Strictly in January 2018 after reportedly clashing with show bosses.
Fiona later went on: “He’s not on the show now. Karma indeed. It works its way every time.”
Ouch.
Shirley Ballas
(Image: mirror.co.uk)
Fiery Brendan was unafraid to challenge the judges during his lengthy tenure as a Strictly professional.
He mocked Shirley in her first week as head judge – the role he’d had his eye on.
Appearing on BBC2 show It Takes Two, when Zoe Ball asked if he was hoping to impress the newcomer, he sniped: “I’d imagine she’s more likely to be wanting to impress us, I’ve been on the show 15 years, she’s just showed up.”
He quickly saw the “error of his ways” and fired off an apology – which he said went unanswered.
“I sent her a message saying, ‘Didn’t mean any offence, just making good telly’. I didn’t get a reply,” he said on John Bishop: In Conversation With.
However, Shirley – who routinely annoyed Brendan with her critiques of his last celebrity partner Charlotte Hawkins – told Hello! magazine: “I don’t have any recollection on a personal level of bridges ever being broken or rebuilt between me and Brendan.”
(Image: PA)
Brendan was dropped from the BBC show for the following series, and he shared his devastation on Lorraine, saying: “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.”
He continued: “I’m disappointed. It’s very hard to talk about. It’s a recent decision.”
A source later told the Sun that show bosses dropped the dance following his on-air clash with Shirley, with the insider claiming: “The judges felt he was putting her down publicly and he thought he knew better than the head judge.
“They thought it was totally disrespectful.”
Lulu
(Image: BBC)
Brendan was paired with Shout singer Lulu back in 2011 – but their whopping height difference wasn’t the only reason they didn’t see eye to eye.
Her 5ft1 frame compared to his 6ft1 stature led to some technical difficulties on the dance floor, but the real incompatibilities stemmed from a personality clash.
Appearing on Loose Women after the show ended Brendan described Lulu as “not a particularly nice person”.
He then added: “But she felt the same about me, so it’s alright.”
Lulu then backed up the mutual feelings when she admitted: “I worked with someone on Strictly with whom I wasn’t really compatible, so that was very hard.”
Craig Revel Horwood
(Image: BBC)
Craig opened up about his spat with Brendan when he appeared on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast.
He admitted they had clashed both on and off-screen before Brendan was given the boot from Strictly back in 2018.
He explained: “We did lock horns. I invited him around two years ago to my house. I hadn’t spoken to him for years. I thought wouldn’t it be nice to see Brendan, just to see if he’s working.”
Craig continued: “Oh God this is going out to people isn’t it? Anyway, he had an electric car. He was showing off. We hated each other.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
