It’s over a year since Brendan Cole was given the boot from Strictly, but now the controversial dancer has defected to The X Factor .
He’s limbering up his vocal chords on the celeb version of the show, which saw auditions begin last night as the famouses gathered at Simon Cowell’s Malibu mansion.
Alongside him is Jeremy Edwards, of Hollyoaks/Holby City fame, and together they’re Cole and Edwards, a man band set to take over pop.
Perhaps.
The two are good pals, having met at a showbiz event a few years ago – ‘My wife thought you were attractive,’ Brendan tells Jeremy, who doesn’t know what to do with this information – they clearly have each other’s backs, as well as blokey banter.
‘If you read what I’ve written to him on the text in the last couple of hours, it gets ruder and ruder.
But he’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.
'I’d say intelligent, but I don’t think that’s going to fool anyone,’ says Jeremy of his mate.
‘There are so many misconceptions about him, I want to stick up for him.
And I’ve always said to him, “You’re my second favourite dancer on Strictly”.
And when the X Factor ratings are higher than Strictly, it will make him the most valuable man in TV…’
Brendan , who has two kids Aurelia and Dante with wife Zoe, is no stranger to a judging panel, while Jeremy, who has a daughter Scarlett with wife Lydia, is au fait with reality TV – he did Celebrity Big Brother alongside Jackie Stallone and Bez (‘Right at the beginning, before people thought it was sh*t,’ he clarifies).
Brendan talks about the fall-out from Strictly and joining the opposition, before the pair dish the dirt on Celebrity X Factor , including rummaging in Simon Cowell’s bedroom…
Brendan, you’ve defected to the competition. That’s a great ‘screw you’ to Strictly , isn’t it?
I’m not going to lie, there was a thought of it being on the opposite channel and the fact they’ve always had a ratings war…
It’s not going unnoticed, and it’s great to be back doing Saturday night live entertainment.
If they do go up against each other and there was a ratings situation, well, I love the fact I’m on the opposite side after 15 years.
It must have felt so strange last year, not having Strictly take over your life?
Yes, it was really odd, I will make no bones about it.
It was weird not being involved with something I’d been a part of from the inception.
It was the old adage of knowing the party is going on and you’re not invited.
But I put it to bed and moved on to the next thing.
The show has moved on and I watch it as an outsider.
It was a chapter.
Chapters end.
Strictly wasn’t the all-being of my life, it wasn’t what made me the person I am.
Are you in contact with your Strictly pals?
I was at Craig Revel Horwood’s house yesterday, it felt like no time had passed.
Would you ever go back if they asked?
Not as a dancer, but as something different.
I’m not saying you can’t go back, but my life has changed so much – not for the better, because Strictly will always be special to me – but it’s given me so many opportunities to move forward.
If someone had said, ‘You’re going to be on X Factor ,’ I’d have laughed my head off.
So to go back as a dancer I’d be like, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’
However, never say never because it will come back to bite you on the backside.
Biggest misconception about you?
Well, I’m far from a diva.
I’ve spent a lot of time on television, and I’ve spent a lot of time as a character.
And as a character, you either push it or you don’t.
I was on air for a very short amount of time in a big programme, and they show what they want to show, like if you’re kicking off or having a strop.
I’m a strong person, and if I don’t like something I’ll absolutely say it.
In my old age I’ve now learnt how to say it, how to control myself, do it the right way.
So are you saying Brendan the Strictly dancer was a character?
I’ve never played a character as such, I am who I am, I’m slightly temperamental.
If there’s a situation where I feel aggrieved or think someone has been treated wrongly, I’ll be the first person to stand up for them.
Worst thing you’ve read about yourself?
One of the saddest things about leaving Strictly was a report claiming the production staff found me hard to work with.
That hurt me to the bone.
Generally speaking I have a very good relationship with them and I would always make sure they were OK.
I recognise what they do, they work harder than anyone, so that was a kick in the teeth.
I may have fallen out with a couple of partners, or had a go at someone for doing the wrong thing, but I’ve never asked anyone to get me coffee.
I like to think I brought something to the show over the years, whether you liked it or hated it, but you can’t please everybody.
Brendan and Jeremy on X Factor
How did you end up doing The X Factor together then?
B: I had been chatting about being involved in the show, but I didn’t want to go in as a solo singer, because there would be amazing singers and I’m not an amazing singer, but hopefully I’ve got some stage presence…
So I wanted a mate to go in with me, and my wife Zoe suggested Jeremy.
J: And now we are Cole and Edwards.
It sounds like a posh tailors shop. Quite regal.
It’s got a Christmas number one feel about it.
What was it like the first time you sang together in front of X Factor bods?
B: I felt a little bit shy.
And when we finished there was just silence, like tumbleweed.
In a terrible way.
But what we didn’t know was they were going, ‘OK, we need to do this and this and this…’ and they’re not verbalising any of it.
J: We were looking for validation.
But their job is to listen to your voice and find a song that fits it.
They’re being really pragmatic and you’re just thinking, ‘Please tell me I’m good!’
How does standing up in front of Simon Cowell compare to Craig Revel Horwood?
B: Oh, Simon’s alright, I’ve known him for many years.
But I won’t lie, I was nervous.
If I’d been solo, I’d have cried.
J: You’re putting your wotsits on the chopping board, let’s be honest. You’re literally going, ‘This is what I have’.
Brendan danced with Simon’s mum – it was one of her wishes before she passed, very sweet – so of course he knew him.
He didn’t remember me.
I’ve met him several times, I have a calendar at home where I am February and he is March, we did a shoot with our dogs, and I met him several times with Rachel Stevens (Jeremy’s ex) at industry dos.
But so what?
Hey, he meets a lot of people.
He’s a lovely man, he genuinely seems very kind.
So he wasn’t mean to you?
B: Not at all, quite the opposite.
He was charming, and some of the audience were his showbiz friends, cheering us on.
J: Not me, I was just carrying Brendan’s bags…
B: But it’s 100% different to Strictly.
When I’m judged on something I’m professional at, I know my stuff inside and out.
With singing, I don’t.
I can take it better than on Strictly.
I think, ‘OK, I’m accepting that, I might not agree with it in my head, but I’ll accept it.’
J: When I’m acting and I get told to do something differently, I’ll say, ‘Absolutely!’, then do it exactly the same as I did before.
Without sounding arrogant, you have your confidence, that is what I do.
But with X Factor, if they say, ‘Fellas, do this,’ we do.
We are X Factor swots, you want to soak it up, it’s an extra tool in your box.
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