Following his last sellout tour of Licence to Thrill, Strictly Come Dancing’s Brendan Cole is once again set to dazzle audiences in Aberdeen and Inverness with his brand-new show, A Night to Remember
For thousands of TV viewers, Saturday night means one thing – tuning in to Strictly Come Dancing to see celebrities attempt to put their best foot forward with more than a little help from talented professional dancers such as audience favourite Brendan Cole.
New Zealand-born Brendan, the show’s most charismatic choreographer, is touring the UK with a brand-new show, A Night To Remember.
In it, he leads a talented cast of dancers, musicians and singers on a journey of music and dance in a spectacular night of theatrical entertainment.
“It’s probably best described as An Evening With-style show, full of live music from a phenomenal 14-piece band who are on stage with us, Latin and ballroom dances from my superb eight-strong dance cast (four female dancers, three other male dancers and me), and some chat thrown in for good measure,” said Brendan.
“It’s a real variety type show with all you’d expect to see on Strictly, but more intimate as it’s geared for a live audience. We have all the dances you’d expect, Argentine tango, salsa, some beautiful waltzes, Charleston, quicksteps – they’re all there.
“I host the show and perform throughout. I love the fact that it’s very intimate between me, my cast and the audience,” said Brendan, who says he’ll be happy to answer questions from the audience on the night.
So while theatregoers are set to gain an insight into one of the series’ favourite performers, he’s also allowing a rare glimpse into his private domestic bliss – and explaining the remarkable effect it’s had on his life – as he chats at his home, a 300-year-old cottage in Buckinghamshire which he shares with his model wife, Zoe Hobbs.
For years, he had a reputation as the “bad boy” of Strictly because of his feisty nature, his outspoken and sometimes scathing comments, and his romantic links to a bevy of beautiful women.
Most famously, his eight-year relationship to fiance and fellow dancer Camilla Dallerup fell apart after he danced with newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky in the first Strictly series in 2004, and their obvious smouldering onscreen chemistry helped them win. Kaplinsky has always denied any involvement with Cole.
“I’m a different person these days,” said the 38-year-old, who married Zoe, 32, in 2010, in front of Strictly stars and Sir Bruce Forsyth. Daughter Aurelia was born on Christmas Day, 2012.
“It was certainly close to love at first sight when I met Zoe, even though at first I thought she was so ridiculously attractive and I thought that she was far too good for me. But fate played its part and here we are today together.
“When you’re happy and fulfilled in a relationship, it gives you more stability and a different perspective on life. I was very outspoken in the past, but you change as you grow older and you become a bit more thoughtful and considered. Put it this way, nowadays I’m not afraid to be controversial if it’s necessary, but I do think before I speak.
“When you have the responsibility of being a husband and a father, it’s different. I never want to do anything to embarrass my wife or daughter, whereas, in the old days, when I was single, there wasn’t anybody to worry about upsetting.”
Brendan first began dancing aged just six, so was his ambition to become a dancer?
“No, not growing up, but, as you get older, opportunities present themselves and you make the decisions that are best for you at the time,” he said.
“I believe you create opportunities and it’s whether or not you choose to take them which defines your path. I could have very easily stayed in New Zealand and created my life there, but my dreams were bigger than that. I didn’t know that it would be dance necessarily; I just knew I wanted more.”
Friendly and unassuming, he relished every moment of Strictly and clearly appreciates his good fortune, although he’s not surprised by it.
“I always had a belief that something amazing was going to happen to me one day,” he said.
“I worked incredibly hard for years, and made a lot of sacrifices to pursue my dream of being a dancer and perfecting my art. I was always looking for opportunities. I truly believe we get to where we are in life through 50% luck and 50% hard work.
“When Strictly came up, I took a chance on it, and then it was like everything came together. It’s wonderful how much people love it and I feel privileged to be a part of it. I’m much more philosophical about winning it these days. At the end of the day, it’s down to the celebrity you get paired with and, anyway, really it’s about them and their performance, not us professionals. I just enjoy every series and hope it continues.”
Away from the TV studios, Brendan loves the opportunity to tour.
“To me, the excitement of performing and having a reaction from a crowd is what I love best. I love looking out at the audience just before the show starts and seeing people’s anticipation of what they are about to see and then again at the end to see their reaction.
“To see people smiling and discussing what they have just been a part of is so satisfying. I also look forward to hanging out with my cast. We have an incredible time together travelling around and performing, it’s always sad when it comes to an end. It’s like having a party that you really want to be at that lasts for more than two months and doesn’t get boring.
“It’s definitely hard, but that’s part of the job and my wife, Zoe, is very supportive. Strictly is more challenging being six and seven days a week for more than four months of the year. My tour lasts only a couple of months and I make sure I schedule two days off each week to spend with the family. I also ensure the cast have time for their bodies to recover, as it’s a full-on show.”
As for the audiences, he has one simple hope for them to take away from the show: “What I want is for them to be entertained from start to finish and to leave with smiles on their faces. Hopefully, they’ll feel they have met the real me, a slightly cheeky, pretty normal fella, and feel excited from having seen some magic on stage.”
A Night To Remember with Brendan Cole visits Eden Court, Inverness, next Tuesday, February 24, and Wednesday, February 25, with performances at 7.30pm nightly. Contact 01463 2342345 or visit www.eden-court.co.uk. The show is at Aberdeen Music Hall on Saturday, February 28, at 7.30pm. Contact 01224 641122 or visit www.aberdeenperforming arts.com Alternatively, visit www.brendancole.com