Brendan Cole finally reveals the truth behind his Strictly axe after calling Shirley Ballas shocking name
Brendan left the show in 2018Strictly legends Brendan Cole and James Jordan have opened up about why they believe their time on the show came to an end. Both former professionals say their refusal to keep quiet played a major part.
Speaking on their new Manopause podcast, the dancers discussed their clashes behind the scenes and the consequences for their careers. Brendan had previously described his Strictly exit as an editorial decision, but has now shared details of an off-air remark that he believes may have cost him his place.
Why Brendan Cole believes Strictly sacked him
Brendan left Strictly in 2018 after 14 years as a professional dancer. He had been part of the programme since its first series, which he won with Natasha Kaplinsky.
On Manopause, Brendan admitted he was overheard calling head judge Shirley Ballas the C-word three times. He said Strictly bosses then sought an assurance that he would not make a similar remark again.
Brendan explained: “I don’t condone the C-word. And at the time, I apologised for using it, but I wasn’t going to backtrack on it and say, ‘Well, it wasn’t true’, because I thought it was true.”
He went on to make clear that his opinion of Shirley has since changed, adding: “Listen, I love Shirley. I think she’s a great judge. At the time, I didn’t think she was particularly nice to us and I vocalised that.”
‘It cost me the gig’
Reflecting on whether the incident led to his departure, Brendan said: “Some would argue it cost me the gig. I would argue that I look at the positives and go, ‘I had the best three or four years of my working career post-Strictly, thanks to Strictly’.”
Brendan also acknowledged that he could be “hot-headed” during his years on the BBC dance competition.
He recalled once slamming a door in a producer’s face after becoming frustrated about his celebrity partner being pushed to go onto the dance floor.
James Jordan says his outspoken nature contributed to his exit
James, who spent seven years on Strictly, also believes his willingness to challenge the programme’s direction led to his exit.
He said he became unhappy as Strictly moved away from what he considered authentic ballroom and Latin dancing. James recalled bluntly criticising a group routine when a producer asked for his opinion.
He told Manopause: “I was always very outspoken when I was on Strictly. I was always sticking up for the professional dancers.”
James continued: “I eventually got asked to leave the show because I was maybe too outspoken and I was pointing things out that they didn’t want to be pointed out. But I want the best for the show.”
Despite their criticism, both men stressed that they remain grateful for the opportunities Strictly gave them. James said: “We speak very candidly about Strictly, but we loved being a part of it. It gave us a platform.”
This article was produced with the assistance of AI technology to synthesise source reporting and structured data. It has been reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.
