Former Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole has revealed he had an ‘awful’ time when he went back to the set after his exit.
Brendan left Strictly back in 2018, after the BBC decided not to renew his contract. But that hasn’t stopped him from looking back at his time there with pride. However, visiting the set to watch the show is a very different experience, and it seems he isn’t a fan.
The star has now spoken exclusively to Entertainment Daily, where he admitted he felt like a “spare” when he was spotted in the audience last year.
Brendan Cole ‘hated’ being back at the Strictly Come Dancing studios
Last October, Brendan was spotted in the audience of the BBC dance show, and fans immediately went wild. But for him, the experience wasn’t actually something he enjoyed. And as his first time back in the studio since he left, things had changed massively.
He told ED!: “It was awful. Absolutely awful. I hated the experience. It was my first time back in the studio since I left, 2017 was my last year. I felt like that saying ‘A spare so and so at a wedding’. That’s what it felt like.”
As for why he felt so out of place, it was because Brendan was no longer involved in everything and instead was just there as a viewer.
Brendan continued: “I felt like I wasn’t involved any more. It was most of the same people that I used to spend weeks and weeks of every year with. The production, the crew and most of the people there were the same.”
He admitted that while he felt “welcomed” by everyone, he realised it had actually been quite a while since he was last there. And he no longer felt like he fitted in with everything going on.
He said: “I felt very much like ‘oh crikey. This ship has sailed and I had just popped on it for a day. It was very odd.”
Does Brendan Cole enjoy watching the show?
However, that being said, Brendan did admit he liked reuniting with those he did know. And when they were backstage, everyone was welcoming and lovely to him.
“It was lovely to see everybody. Whether it be the cameramen and women, or in the make-up room. Seeing people who were runners when I was there and now all of a sudden they are running the show, that was lovely to see.
“I still have friends there and when we went backstage instead of being left out in the cold, that was a lovely thing. I enjoyed that part.”
As for whether or not Brendan actually enjoys watching Strictly nowadays, he admitted it’s more of a “paid gig” for him to be a viewer but he does enjoy watching his 12-year-old daughter Aurelia’s perspective on it.
He explained: “I have been watching it because I have been doing some work around it for various organisations and media outlets. So, it’s a paid gig that I have to watch it.”
Read more: Strictly pro reveals Dancing With the Stars role in major career move
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