FORMER Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole has revealed he secretly feuded with two of his celebrity partners – and couldn’t even face being in a room with them.
The 47-year-old opened up about his experience on the show as he discussed the current issues between Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice on this series.
He admitted that getting a partner you don’t “gel” with is the “hardest” part of the show – and he’s been stuck in that position himself.
Brendan said: “I’ve had that twice really strongly, where we couldn’t even be in the same studio together – it was awful.”
The star, who started on Strictly in its first year, continued: “The hardest part about Strictly is if you don’t gel with your partner, you are in such trouble.
“You spend such a lot of time together, it’s so intense, the training is intense, the time you spend together in the studio, sometimes for hours, sometimes eight hours, sometimes longer.”
Speaking on behalf of Sky Bingo, he continued: “That connection that you have, if you’ve got a great relationship, it bolsters the relationship, it encourages, it makes it an amazing experience for both parties, the celeb and the pro.
“If there’s a little bit of tension, it’s such an uncomfortable feeling! You’re spending all this time with somebody that you actually don’t like pretty much [and] they don’t like you, you might not be a bad person, they might not be a bad person, but you are spending time with somebody that’s not on your wish list.
“And then choices like choreography start being blamed.”
Over the weekend, The Sun told how actress Amanda had threatened to quit this series after clashing with Giovanni.
Brendan explained how easy it is to snap: “Let’s say Giovanni Pernice did a bit of choreography that she [Amanda Abbington] didn’t like. She’s quite a good dancer, I think she knows what she’s doing.
“If that is the case, that they are having a bit of a clash, and Giovanni is quite a full-on character, in terms of personalities within the show.
“So therefore, he’s going to have a big personality in the studio, which as you’d expect, and as you’d want out of your professional partner, if you’re getting along with them.
“If you’re not getting along with them, the clash starts and the relationship implodes.”
He added: “The beauty of Strictly is it takes all sorts; you like all the relationships – the good ones and the bad ones.”
Brendan left the show in 2018 after the BBC decided not to renew his contract.