Brendan Cole and James Jordan have revealed why they believe their days on Strictly Come Dancing eventually came to an end, with both former professionals admitting that being outspoken may have worked against them.
The dancers discussed their experiences on the BBC show during their new Manopause podcast, including the clashes they had behind the scenes and how those moments affected their careers. Brendan had previously described his Strictly exit as an editorial decision, but has now opened up about an off-air comment he believes may have contributed to him losing his place.
Why Brendan Cole believes Strictly sacked him
Brendan left Strictly in 2018 after 14 years as a professional dancer. He had been with the programme since its first series, which he won alongside Natasha Kaplinsky.
Speaking on Manopause, Brendan admitted he was overheard calling head judge Shirley Ballas the C-word three times. He said Strictly bosses subsequently wanted him to promise that he would not make the same remark again.
Brendan explained: “I don’t condone the C-word. And at the time, I apologised for using it, but I wasn’t going to backtrack on it and say, ‘Well, it wasn’t true’, because I thought it was true.”
However, Brendan made clear that his feelings towards Shirley have since changed. He added: “Listen, I love Shirley. I think she’s a great judge. At the time, I didn’t think she was particularly nice to us and I vocalised that.”
‘It cost me the gig’
Looking back on whether the incident played a role in his departure, Brendan said: “Some would argue it cost me the gig. I would argue that I look at the positives and go, ‘I had the best three or four years of my working career post-Strictly, thanks to Strictly’.”
Brendan also admitted that he could be “hot-headed” during his time on the BBC dance competition.
He remembered one occasion when he slammed a door in a producer’s face after becoming frustrated over his celebrity partner being pushed to go onto the dance floor.
James Jordan says his outspoken nature contributed to his exit
James, who spent seven years as a Strictly professional, similarly believes his outspoken nature played a part in his departure.
He became increasingly unhappy as Strictly moved away from what he regarded as authentic ballroom and Latin dancing. James recalled openly criticising a group routine after a producer asked for his opinion.
He told Manopause: “I was always very outspoken when I was on Strictly. I was always sticking up for the professional dancers.”
James continued: “I eventually got asked to leave the show because I was maybe too outspoken and I was pointing things out that they didn’t want to be pointed out. But I want the best for the show.”
Despite their criticisms, both dancers stressed that they remain grateful for what Strictly gave them. James said: “We speak very candidly about Strictly, but we loved being a part of it. It gave us a platform.”
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