Brendan Cole hasn’t been afraid to answer back when it comes to this year’s Strictly Come Dancing critiques.
The professional dancer has clashed with new head judge Shirley Ballas on a handful of occasions and he even lashed out at Bruno Tonioli for comments he made about another couple.
So, naturally, when fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood was on This Morning on Monday, he was quizzed by both Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on Brendan’s outbursts.
Craig’s take on it? Bring it on!
However, Craig also suggested that Brendan doesn’t always think about what he’s saying before opening his mouth.
Read more: Brendan Cole’s wife takes swipe at Strictly judge
Chatting about pros voicing their opinions, he said: “I love that, I encourage all of that. They give as good as they get and I love it!
“It has to be measured, you have to think and consider what you’re saying as well, and sometimes Brendan doesn’t, in that respect.
“I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and as a judge, you can qualify everything you’re saying.”
Brendan has famously butted heads with Shirley when it comes to her critique: they clashed over whether there was “rise and fall” in Brendan’s tango with Charlotte Hawkins and over the complexity of his choreography.
It led Brendan to rage at one stage: “If Shirley wants to swap places with me, I’m quite happy to judge – I know how to do that.”
Meanwhile, Brendan’s partner Charlotte even joked last week she was trying to “gag” the dancer in case his comments affected their scores.
She said on Good Morning Britain: “He’s got my back, he was defending me from that point of view, so I’m touched by that, but there is a chance that it is affecting it rather than my dancing…”
Elsewhere, Brendan expressed disappointment with Bruno Tonioli for saying Davood Ghadami and Nadiya Bychkova appeared to be in a “race to the bedroom” with a recent sizzling dance, claiming it was disrespectful when Davood and Nadiya are both in happy relationships.
Sadly for Brendan and Charlotte, they were eliminated on Sunday night after falling into the dance-off against Davood and Nadiya.
All four judges opted to save EastEnders’ Davood over Charlotte.
Brendan then gave an emotional speech about how much he’ll miss dancing with Charlotte, which led panicked fans to worry he is leaving Strictly for good!
Sources told The Sun that Strictly bosses are also terrified he’s on the verge of handing in his notice – but so far there’s been no word from Brendan on whether that’s true or not.
Read more: Strictly viewers beg Brendan Cole not to leave
Meanwhile, Craig told Holly and Phil why he’s being such a stickler for the rules this year and penalising dancers who break them.
“I think if the rules are there they shouldn’t be broken. It’s called Strictly Come Dancing, there are strict rules in ballroom and Latin that need to be followed.
“I think that gives dancers a parameter in which to work, which I think is really important, otherwise you’re looking at an American smooth when it should be a fox trot.”
Hear, hear!