Brendan: Strictly is never going to be squeaky clean

DESPITE the glitz and the glamour, Strictly Come Dancing will never be a “squeaky clean show”, one of its former professional stars revealed.

- By Julia Kuttner

Brendan Cole, who appeared in the first 15 series until his contract was not renewed for 2018, added affairs between celebrities and dancers are inevitable if people are “just not happy at home”.

The popular New Zealander, the first to lift the famous glitterball trophy with BBC newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky in 2004, said: “There’s always going to be a bit of controversy.”

Over two decades, the “Strictly curse” of relationship dramas between celebrity contestants and pro dancers has kept the nation gripped.

The most high-profile was that of Seann Walsh and then-married dancer Katya Jones in 2018.

After being caught kissing in public after rehearsals, the comedian’s furious girlfriend publicly slammed and dumped him on social media while Katya eventually split from fellow pro dancer Neil Jones.

Even Brendan was rumoured to be the first to be struck by the curse when his then fiancée Camilla Dallerup said she suffered a “mini death” when he reportedly left her for celebrity dance partner Natasha. Neither have ever confirmed they were romantically involved.

Talking about the curse in general, 49-year-old Brendan said: “Most people that have an affair, there’s probably a reason. Or they’re just a bit of a scumbag.

“But a lot of the time, someone’s just not happy at home.” He also acknowledged that behind the sequins and smiles, there have been darker headlines in recent years, from bullying accusations to drug rumours.

“You dig into anybody’s past and you'll find something,” he said.