Brendan Cole
Encyclopedia
Brendan Cole is a ballroom dance
r specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing on the BBC
show Strictly Come Dancing
, a dance contest in which a professional ballroom dancer is partnered with a celebrity amateur dancer. He has also judged three seasons of New Zealand's own Dancing with the Stars
.
, New Zealand
. He has danced since he was six, and came to the United Kingdom
when he was nineteen. Before he danced professionally he worked as a builder.
He danced with Camilla Dallerup
, a fellow contestant on the BBC's earlier long-running show Come Dancing
, as amateurs from 1996, and from 2002-2004 as professionals. They competed for New Zealand: Camilla Dallerup is Danish-born. In 2003 Dallerup and Cole were placed 3rd for Latin American at the UK Closed Championships. During the professional group dances on Strictly Come Dancing, Brendan danced with Karen Hardy
for series 3 to 5 then with fellow New Zealander, Hayley Holt
, for series 6. His celebrity partner for series six was Lisa Snowdon
, with whom he reached the final to be placed third.
In the winter of 2004 Brendan had his first acting experience featuring in the UK feature film Everything To Dance For alongside Sasha Jackson, Travis Oliver and Sally Reeve.
In summer 2006, he joined ITV's Love Island
and became the runner-up when the show ended on August 28, 2006. Also on that year, he appeared as guest judge on fourth episode of Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 2
where he worked with the remaining 10 contestants to teach ballroom dancing prior to judging.
In January 2007, Cole appeared on the BBC
's duet show Just the Two of Us as a celebrity, with Beverley Knight
as his professional partner. They came second.
Cole has appeared on all eight series to date of Strictly Come Dancing
. Particularly in the third and fourth series, he has often clashed with the judges over their scoring and comments on his performances. He has on occasion deliberately broken the rules by incorporating illegal lifts into his choreography, and as a result has often been dubbed the "bad boy of Strictly".
Brendan represented the United Kingdom at the first Eurovision Dance Contest
in September 2007. His dance partner was Camilla Dallerup
. The couple were highly praised by British judges yet only managed to finish fifteenth out of the sixteen entrants.
In October 2009 Cole appeared on the New Zealand travel show Intrepid Journey which further brought international outrage where he appeared on location in Vanuatu
smiling as he killed the chicken in a hunting lesson. The episode aired in New Zealand
but was not brought to the attention of the UK media till after 2 weeks.
In 2010 he was a celebrity guest team captain on What Do Kids Know?
along with Rufus Hound
, Joe Swash
and Sara Cox
on Watch
.
Before he danced with Natasha Kaplinsky
, in the first series of Strictly Come Dancing, Camilla and Brendan were engaged, but she broke it off, claiming, "I'd been with Brendan almost every day, all the time, for more than eight years and then he changed overnight. I think he was starstruck ... everything changed because of her (Natasha Kaplinsky)."
Brendan's previous relationships have included Shelly Ross, Abi Titmuss
, Lady Victoria Hervey
, Martine McCutcheon
, Adele Silva
and Emma Gray.
He is now married to Zoe Hobbs, a British model.
During his time on Strictly Come Dancing Brendan has performed professional dances with
.
Ballroom dance
Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....
r specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
show Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
, a dance contest in which a professional ballroom dancer is partnered with a celebrity amateur dancer. He has also judged three seasons of New Zealand's own Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a New Zealand television series based on the British series Strictly Come Dancing. The show introduces eight local celebrities paired with professional ballroom danceers who each week compete against each other in a competition to impress a panel of judges and the viewing...
.
Early life and career
Cole was born in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He has danced since he was six, and came to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
when he was nineteen. Before he danced professionally he worked as a builder.
He danced with Camilla Dallerup
Camilla Dallerup
Camilla Dallerup is a British-based Danish ballroom dancer, dance teacher and model.-Dance career:Dallerup started dancing at the age of two and a half when her mother took her to her first class in Aalborg. She won the Danish Junior Championships at the age of 12...
, a fellow contestant on the BBC's earlier long-running show Come Dancing
Come Dancing
Come Dancing was a BBC TV ballroom dancing competition show that ran on and off from 1949 to 1998, becoming one of television's longest-running shows....
, as amateurs from 1996, and from 2002-2004 as professionals. They competed for New Zealand: Camilla Dallerup is Danish-born. In 2003 Dallerup and Cole were placed 3rd for Latin American at the UK Closed Championships. During the professional group dances on Strictly Come Dancing, Brendan danced with Karen Hardy
Karen Hardy
Karen Hardy is a professional ballroom dancer, coach, teacher and adjudicator. In 1998 she won the professional International Latin American Dance Championship with Bryan Watson. She also won the United Kingdom Open, British National, European and World Masters championships...
for series 3 to 5 then with fellow New Zealander, Hayley Holt
Hayley Holt
Hayley Holt is a New Zealand snowboarder and ballroom dancer notable for her appearances on several reality television series...
, for series 6. His celebrity partner for series six was Lisa Snowdon
Lisa Snowdon
Lisa Snowdon is an English fashion model, television personality and presenter. She was the host of the reality television show Britain's Next Top Model from 2006 until 2009...
, with whom he reached the final to be placed third.
In the winter of 2004 Brendan had his first acting experience featuring in the UK feature film Everything To Dance For alongside Sasha Jackson, Travis Oliver and Sally Reeve.
In summer 2006, he joined ITV's Love Island
Love Island
Love Island was a daily British reality television programme. In the show, twelve single celebrities spent five weeks on an island in Fiji. Viewers would vote for the couple they would like to see in the "love shack" where the two would get to know one another better...
and became the runner-up when the show ended on August 28, 2006. Also on that year, he appeared as guest judge on fourth episode of Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 2
Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 2
Britain's Next Top Model, Cycle 2 was a second cycle of Britain's Next Top Model and the second series aired on LIVINGtv.The cast was increased to 13 contestants. The international destination was Marrakech, Morocco...
where he worked with the remaining 10 contestants to teach ballroom dancing prior to judging.
In January 2007, Cole appeared on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's duet show Just the Two of Us as a celebrity, with Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight
Beverley Knight MBE is a British soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date...
as his professional partner. They came second.
Cole has appeared on all eight series to date of Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
. Particularly in the third and fourth series, he has often clashed with the judges over their scoring and comments on his performances. He has on occasion deliberately broken the rules by incorporating illegal lifts into his choreography, and as a result has often been dubbed the "bad boy of Strictly".
Brendan represented the United Kingdom at the first Eurovision Dance Contest
Eurovision Dance Contest
The Eurovision Dance Contest was an international dancing competition that was held for the first time in the United Kingdom on Saturday 1 September 2007....
in September 2007. His dance partner was Camilla Dallerup
Camilla Dallerup
Camilla Dallerup is a British-based Danish ballroom dancer, dance teacher and model.-Dance career:Dallerup started dancing at the age of two and a half when her mother took her to her first class in Aalborg. She won the Danish Junior Championships at the age of 12...
. The couple were highly praised by British judges yet only managed to finish fifteenth out of the sixteen entrants.
In October 2009 Cole appeared on the New Zealand travel show Intrepid Journey which further brought international outrage where he appeared on location in Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
smiling as he killed the chicken in a hunting lesson. The episode aired in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
but was not brought to the attention of the UK media till after 2 weeks.
In 2010 he was a celebrity guest team captain on What Do Kids Know?
What Do Kids Know?
What Do Kids Know? Is a brand new family entertainment show exclusive to Watch, where celebrities and children celebrate the humour and bewilderment of Britain's generation gap. Hosted by Rufus Hound with resident team captains Joe Swash and Sara Cox. It has similarities to Small Talk...
along with Rufus Hound
Rufus Hound
Rufus Hound is a British comedian and presenter. He is also the winner of 2010 "Let's Dance for Comic Relief".-Career:...
, Joe Swash
Joe Swash
Joseph Adam Swash is an English actor and presenter. He once played Mickey Miller in the British television soap opera EastEnders. He is the older brother of Shana Swash, who played his on-screen younger sister Demi Miller until July 2006. He also won the TV reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me...
and Sara Cox
Sara Cox
Sara Cox , known as "Coxy", is an English TV presenter and radio DJ, most well known for presenting the breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 between 2000 and 2003...
on Watch
Watch (TV channel)
Watch is a general entertainment channel broadcasting in the United Kingdom and Ireland, as part of the UKTV network. The channel launched on 7 October 2008 on satellite through Sky and on cable primarily through Virgin Media.-History:...
.
Personal life
Before becoming a professional dancer Cole was a builder and roof layer, having left school at 17.Before he danced with Natasha Kaplinsky
Natasha Kaplinsky
Natasha Margaret Kaplinsky is a British newsreader and television presenter, currently employed by ITV having previously worked for Channel 5, Sky News and the BBC...
, in the first series of Strictly Come Dancing, Camilla and Brendan were engaged, but she broke it off, claiming, "I'd been with Brendan almost every day, all the time, for more than eight years and then he changed overnight. I think he was starstruck ... everything changed because of her (Natasha Kaplinsky)."
Brendan's previous relationships have included Shelly Ross, Abi Titmuss
Abi Titmuss
Abi Titmuss, , is a former English nurse turned glamour model, television personality and actress.-Early life:...
, Lady Victoria Hervey
Lady Victoria Hervey
Lady Victoria Frederica Isabella Hervey is an English model, socialite, aristocrat and former "It girl".- Background :Lady Victoria is the elder daughter of the 6th Marquess of Bristol and his third wife Yvonne Marie Sutton. She is the older sister of the 8th Marquess of Bristol and of Lady...
, Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon is an English singer, television personality and Laurence Olivier Award-winning actress. McCutcheon had minor success as one third of the pop group Milan in the early 1990s; however, it was her role as Tiffany Mitchell in BBC's EastEnders that made her a household name in the UK...
, Adele Silva
Adele Silva
Adele Silva is an English actress and television personality who has been on stage and television since she was a young girl. She is best known for playing the role of Kelly Windsor in the television soap opera Emmerdale....
and Emma Gray.
He is now married to Zoe Hobbs, a British model.
Televised competitions
- First place in the first season of Strictly Come Dancing partnered with newsreader, Natasha KaplinskyNatasha KaplinskyNatasha Margaret Kaplinsky is a British newsreader and television presenter, currently employed by ITV having previously worked for Channel 5, Sky News and the BBC...
. - Sixth place in the second season of Strictly Come Dancing with Casualty star, Sarah MannersSarah MannersSarah Manners is an English actress best known for her work on British television. She was born in Birmingham and trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.-Career:...
. - Ninth place in the third series of Strictly Come Dancing with GMTVGMTVGMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
's Fiona PhillipsFiona PhillipsFiona Phillips is an English journalist, broadcaster and television presenter.-Early life:Phillips was born in Kent and Canterbury Hospital in 1961. Her grandparents ran the Duke's Head pub in Church Street St. Paul's. Phillips attended Kingsmead Primary School...
. - Sixth place in the fourth series of Strictly Come Dancing with actress, Claire KingClaire KingClaire King is a popular English actress, best known for playing the roles of Kim Tate in the ITV Soap Opera Emmerdale from 1989 to 1999 and Karen Betts in Bad Girls from 2000 to 2004.-Biography:...
. - Withdrew from the fifth series of Strictly Come Dancing with model, Kelly BrookKelly BrookKelly Brook is an English model, actress, entrepreneur, television presenter and Playboy model.-Early life:...
. Kelly's father had died during the week. Kelly had said she would carry on dancing in memory of him, but it was later revealed, she found it too hard to continue. - Third place in the sixth series of Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
with celebrity partner, Lisa SnowdonLisa SnowdonLisa Snowdon is an English fashion model, television personality and presenter. She was the host of the reality television show Britain's Next Top Model from 2006 until 2009...
, a supermodelSupermodelThe term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
and television presenter. - His partner for Strictly Come Dancing Series 7 was estranged wife of Ronnie Wood, Jo WoodJo WoodJo Wood is an English model, TV personality and entrepreneur. She is the ex-wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood....
. Brendan & Jo were eliminated in Week 6 for their SambaSambaSamba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
placing them 11th overall. - For Strictly Come Dancing Series 8, Brendan was partnered with American Broadway-actress singer Michelle WilliamsMichelle Williams (singer)Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
. - His partner for Strictly Come Dancing series 9, Brendan is currently partnered with 1960's singer and icon, LuluLulu (singer)Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
.
During his time on Strictly Come Dancing Brendan has performed professional dances with
- Camilla DallerupCamilla DallerupCamilla Dallerup is a British-based Danish ballroom dancer, dance teacher and model.-Dance career:Dallerup started dancing at the age of two and a half when her mother took her to her first class in Aalborg. She won the Danish Junior Championships at the age of 12...
for Series 1. - Nicole CutlerNicole CutlerNicole Cutler is a professional ballroom dancer and former World Amateur Latin-American champion. She was born Nicole Westdyk in Durban, South Africa and after taking up ballet at the age of four, first tried out ballroom and Latin-American dancing at the age of twelve.In South Africa she danced...
for Series 2. - Karen HardyKaren HardyKaren Hardy is a professional ballroom dancer, coach, teacher and adjudicator. In 1998 she won the professional International Latin American Dance Championship with Bryan Watson. She also won the United Kingdom Open, British National, European and World Masters championships...
for Series 3-5. - Hayley HoltHayley HoltHayley Holt is a New Zealand snowboarder and ballroom dancer notable for her appearances on several reality television series...
for Series 6. - Katya VirshilasKatya VirshilasKatya Virshilas is a Lithuanian-Canadian dancer and actress.-Life and career:Virshilas was born in Lithuania to a Jewish family. She subsequently moved to Israel at age six, and to Vancouver, Canada at thirteen....
for Series 7. - Natalie LoweNatalie LoweNatalie Lowe is an Australian professional dancer and Ballroom expert.She is a four-time Australian Dance Champion, She is from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
for Series 8.
Charity work
Brendan has supported several charity functions including children's anti-bullying campaigning group Act Against BullyingAct Against Bullying
Act Against Bullying is a national charity in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 2003 by Louise Burfitt-Dons. The charity's purpose is to help children who are bullied at school - by providing them with confidential advice - and to campaign to raise public awareness of the suffering of victims...
.