TV

Fiona Phillips says ‘not very nice’ Brendan Cole’s axe from Strictly was karma

She was partnered by him in 2005

| Updated:

Former breakfast TV presenter Fiona Phillips has sensationally dug out her former Strictly Come Dancing partner Brendan Cole.

The ex GMTV host swiped at him, as she spoke of him being dropped from the BBC show in 2018.

“Brendan was a real bugger, actually,” Fiona told the Daily Star.

“He wasn’t very nice. He was really naughty.

“He’s not on the show now. Karma indeed. It works its way every time.”

Fiona described Brendan as “naughty” (Credit: BBC)

Fiona appeared on the entertainment show in 2005 and has since revealed that she was suffering from depression at the time.

She told the Mirror in 2017: “I was asked to do the first series and the second. Then my agent said, ‘If you don’t do it now you can say goodbye to big gigs at the BBC’, and what have you. There was real pressure.

“So I did it but I wasn’t well enough to be doing it, mentally. I was doing GMTV and had the children and my parents, and I threw that into the mix and I just felt this enormous guilt. Why am I doing this when my mum’s in a home?”

Pro dancer Brendan had featured in every series of Strictly since it began in 2004 until the BBC made the “editorial decision” not to renew his contract.

He’s not on the show now. Karma indeed. It works its way every time.

In an emotional interview with ITV’s Lorraine, he broke the news, saying: “This is quite hard to talk about.

Brendan revealed he was no longer doing Strictly to Lorraine (Credit: ITV)

Read more: Oti Mabuse’s husband set to join Strictly?

“The BBC haven’t renewed my contract – we get renewed year on year – and they made an editorial decision not to have me back on the show.

“I’m a little bit in shock. I’m quite emotional, a bit raw about it.

“It’s done via a process of a phone call and stuff. I have had 15 incredible series on the show. I’m very proud of the whole show. It’s a great team.”

In a statement, the BBC said: “We’d like to thank Brendan Cole for being part of the show since the beginning – winner of the first series – and for the contribution he has made to its success.

“We wish him all the very best for the future.”

Read more: Bruno Tonioli issues warning over same-sex dances

Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!


Kaggie Hyland
Editor-in-Chief