Brendan Cole

New Zealand dancer (born 1976)


title: "Brendan Cole" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1976-births", "living-people", "new-zealand-atheists", "new-zealand-ballroom-dancers", "new-zealand-expatriates-in-england", "new-zealand-people-of-scottish-descent", "entertainers-from-christchurch", "strictly-come-dancing-winners", "21st-century-new-zealand-dancers"] description: "New Zealand dancer (born 1976)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Cole" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary New Zealand dancer (born 1976) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox dancer"]

FieldValue
nameBrendan Cole
imageBrendan Cole in 2018.jpg
image_size200
captionCole in 2018
birth_date
birth_placeChristchurch, New Zealand
occupationDancer
years_active1993–present
spouse
partnerCamilla Dallerup (1996–2004)
children2
dancesLatin American
::

| name = Brendan Cole | image = Brendan Cole in 2018.jpg | image_size = 200 | caption = Cole in 2018 | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand | education = | occupation = Dancer | years_active = 1993–present | home_town = | height = | spouse = | partner = Camilla Dallerup (1996–2004) | children = 2 | dances = Latin American | module = Brendan Cole (born 23 April 1976) is a New Zealand ballroom dancer, specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing as a professional dancer on the BBC One show, Strictly Come Dancing from 2004 to 2017. From 2005 to 2009, he was a judge on the New Zealand version of the show, Dancing with the Stars.

Early life and career

Cole was born 1976, in Christchurch, New Zealand. He learned to dance at the age of six, along his brother and sister. As a child, he won the Juvenile, Junior and Youth Champion of New Zealand. He moved to the United Kingdom when he was eighteen, where he studied the pasodoble, ballroom and ballet at Donaheys, Clayton, Manchester. Before becoming a professional dancer Cole was a builder and roof layer, having left school at 17.

He danced with Camilla Dallerup, a fellow contestant on the BBC's earlier long-running show Come Dancing, as amateurs from 1996 to 1999, and professional from 2002 to 2004. Despite Dallerup being Danish-born, they competed in Latin for New Zealand, for seven years. In 2002, they won the Professional Latin New Zealand National Championships in Auckland. In 2003, they won the Professional Latin Universal Open in Frimley Green, England. and the BATD English Championships in Watford. The same year they won the New Zealand Closed National Championships in Wellington, and won the Taiwan International in Taipei.

In the winter of 2004, Cole had his first acting experience in a feature film: Everything to Dance for alongside Sasha Jackson, Travis Oliver and Sally Reeve.

In 2009, Cole appeared on the New Zealand travel show Intrepid Journeys, however, during a hunting lesson filmed in Vanuatu, he was shown killing and eating a chicken, prompting international news coverage.

In October 2019, he competed in The X Factor: Celebrity alongside Jeremy Edwards.

Personal life

In 2010, Cole married Zoe Hobbs, a British model, who gave birth to their first child, daughter Aurelia, on Christmas Day 2012. In March 2018, Zoe gave birth to their son Danté. The family live in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire (2015).

Televised competitions

In summer 2006, he joined ITV's Love Island and became the runner-up when the show ended on 28 August 2006. Also in that year, he appeared as a guest judge on the fourth episode of Britain's Next Top Model, where he worked with the remaining 10 contestants to teach ballroom dancing prior to judging.

In January 2007, Cole appeared on the BBC's duet show Just the Two of Us as a celebrity, with Beverley Knight as his professional partner. They came second.

Cole represented the United Kingdom at the first Eurovision Dance Contest in September 2007. His dance partner was Camilla Dallerup. The couple were highly praised by British judges yet only managed to finish fifteenth out of the sixteen entrants.

In 2010, he was a celebrity guest team captain on What Do Kids Know? along with Rufus Hound, Joe Swash and Sara Cox on Watch.

In 2019, he participated in Pilgrimage: Road to Rome, as self-described atheist.

In 2022, he appeared as a contestant on the fourteenth series of Dancing on Ice and was partnered with Vanessa Bauer. Cole reached the final and placed second.

''Dancing with the Stars'' (NZ)

Cole has judged New Zealand's version of Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing with the Stars, 2005–2009. In the years when Craig Revel Horwood was one of the other judges the two men's opinions and scores were frequently markedly different.

''Strictly Come Dancing''

Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance ::data[format=table]

DancePartnerHighestPartnerLowest
American SmoothSophie Ellis-Bextor36Kirsty Gallacher23
Argentine TangoLisa Snowdon35Sophie Ellis-Bextor32
Cha-Cha-Cha40Charlotte Hawkins12
CharlestonSophie Ellis-Bextor36Kirsty Gallacher17
FoxtrotLisa Snowdon40Fiona Phillips
Jo Wood20
JiveKelly Brook36Fiona Phillips16
Paso DobleNatasha Kaplinsky
Sophie Ellis-Bextor35Jo Wood20
QuickstepLisa Snowdon40Anastacia
Victoria Pendleton30
RumbaNatasha Kaplinsky36Fiona Phillips13
SalsaSunetra Sarker27Kirsty Gallacher20
SambaNatasha Kaplinsky37Jo Wood14
ShowdanceNatasha Kaplinsky
Sophie Ellis-Bextor35--
TangoKelly Brook
Lisa Snowdon35Charlotte Hawkins17
Viennese WaltzSophie Ellis-Bextor39Jo Wood23
WaltzLisa SnowdonFiona Phillips11
::

::data[format=table] | Series | Celebrity partner | Place | Average Score | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | Natasha Kaplinsky | 1st | 33.0 | | 2 | Sarah Manners | 6th | 26.8 | | 3 | Fiona Phillips | 9th | 15.0 | | 4 | Claire King | 6th | 24.9 | | 5 | Kelly Brook | 33.0 | | | 6 | Lisa Snowdon | 3rd | 34.8 | | 7 | Jo Wood | 11th | 18.8 | | 8 | Michelle Williams | 9th | 26.4 | | 9 | Lulu | 10th | 24.5 | | 10 | Victoria Pendleton | 8th | 24.1 | | 11 | Sophie Ellis-Bextor | 4th | 33.3 | | 12 | Sunetra Sarker | 7th | 28.4 | | 13 | Kirsty Gallacher | 11th | 21.7 | | 14 | Anastacia | 10th | 26.5 | | 15 | Charlotte Hawkins | 13th | 17.5 | ::

Cole appeared in the first 15 series BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, until announcing in January 2018 that his contract had not been renewed.

In the 2004 debut series of Strictly Come Dancing, Cole's celebrity partner was BBC newsreader and presenter Natasha Kaplinsky. They went on to win the show.

In the second series, he was partnered with Casualty actress Sarah Manners. However, they became the fifth couple to leave the competition. During the 2004 Christmas Special Cole again partnered Kaplinsky and they came in second place, dancing a Foxtrot.

In Series 3 Cole was then paired with GMTV presenter and newsreader Fiona Phillips. They were eliminated during the fourth week, coming ninth. Cole then appeared in the 2005 Christmas Special with Rachel Hunter, dancing a Rumba.

He returned to compete on the fourth series, where he partnered with actress Claire King. They were the ninth couple to be eliminated.

In the fifth series, Cole partnered Kelly Brook. They withdrew in week 9 due to the death of Brook's father.

For the sixth series, Cole's dance partner was presenter Lisa Snowdon. They reached the finals but were eliminated in third place. Cole and Snowdon danced again in the 2008 Christmas special, performing a quickstep.

In Series 7 Cole's partner was businesswoman and media personality Jo Wood. They were eliminated in week 6.

In the eighth series, Cole's partner was American singer Michelle Williams; they were eliminated in the seventh week of competition.

For the ninth series, Cole was paired with singer Lulu. They were eliminated on the sixth week. Cole also stepped in to partner Holly Valance and Anita Dobson during weeks 7 and 9 respectively due to their original partners being injured.

For the tenth series, Cole was partnered with Olympic track cyclist, Victoria Pendleton. They were eliminated in the eighth week of competition.

In series 11, Cole partnered singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, reaching the final and being eliminated in fourth place.

For the twelfth series, his dance partner was Casualty actress Sunetra Sarker. They were the ninth couple to be eliminated.

Cole competed with television presenter Kirsty Gallacher in the show's thirteenth series and was eliminated in week 6. Following his elimination with Gallacher, Cole entered the Children in Need special which he won with actress Laura Main. Cole also took part in the 2015 Christmas Special, where he and series 11 winner Abbey Clancy danced a waltz.

For the show's fourteenth series, Cole was partnered with American singer Anastacia. They were placed in the bottom two in week 2, but an injury sustained by Anastacia meant they were unable to take part in the dance-off and the decision was referred to the public vote. Anastacia and Cole polled more votes than Melvin Odoom and Janette Manrara, and were allowed to stay in the competition. They were eventually eliminated in week 6.

In 2017 Cole returned for the fifteenth series, paired with Good Morning Britain presenter Charlotte Hawkins. They were eliminated in week 4. He took part in that year's Christmas Special, partnering Katie Derham: the couple won the event.

''Strictly Come Dancing'' performances

Series 1 – with celebrity dance partner Natasha Kaplinsky Series average: 33.0

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodPhilipsGoodmanTonioli
1Cha-Cha-Cha / "Chain of Fools"578
2Quickstep / "The Lady Is a Tramp"788
3Jive / "Jump, Jive an' Wail"775
4Foxtrot / "The Girl from Ipanema"899
5Samba / "Love Is in the Air"9109
6Tango / "Libertango"
Rumba / "Endless Love"8
97
98
9
7Waltz / "With You I'm Born Again"
Paso Doble / "O Fortuna"9
89
99
9
8Quickstep / "The Lady Is a Tramp"
Samba / "Love Is in the Air"
Showdance / "(I've Had) The Time of My Life"9
7
89
7
99
9
9
::

Series 2 – with celebrity dance partner Sarah Manners Series average: 26.8 ::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodPhilipsGoodmanTonioli
1Waltz / "I Wonder Why"677
2Rumba / "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"566
3Tango / "Hernando's Hideaway"788
4Paso Doble / "Bring Me to Life"876
5Samba / "Kiss Kiss"566
::

Series 3 – with celebrity dance partner Fiona Phillips Series average: 15.0 ::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodPhilipsGoodmanTonioli
1Waltz / "Sam"224
2Rumba / "Almost Here"126
3Jive / "Hit the Road Jack"245
4Foxtrot / "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"356
::

Series 4 with celebrity dance partner Claire King Series average: 24.9

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodPhilipsGoodmanTonioli
2Rumba / "Show Me Heaven"744
3Jive / "Nutbush City Limits"466
4Foxtrot / "Sweet Caroline"746
5Salsa / "Señorita"456
6American Smooth / "Blue Moon"879
7Tango / "Ole Guapa"886
8Samba / "I Love to Love"558
::

Series 5 – with celebrity dance partner Kelly Brook Series average: 33.0

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodPhilipsGoodmanTonioli
2Rumba / "She's Like the Wind"898
3Tango / "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"998
4American Smooth / "(Love Is) The Tender Trap"888
5Paso Doble / "You Give Love a Bad Name"777
6Viennese Waltz / "Delilah"999
7Jive / "Johnny B. Goode"999
8Samba / "Stayin' Alive"777
91
1 Due to her father's death from cancer, Brook officially withdrew from the competition, leaving the couple in sixth place.
::

Series 6 – with celebrity dance partner Lisa Snowdon Series average: 34.8

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodPhilipsGoodmanTonioli
2Salsa / "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You"556
4Rumba / "Suddenly"888
5American Smooth / "It Happened in Monterey"899
6Paso Doble / "Eye of the Tiger"777
7Tango / "La Cumparsita"899
8Viennese Waltz / "Bed of Roses"999
9Samba / "Rock the Boat"679
10Quickstep / "Yes"899
11Foxtrot / "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"
Cha-Cha-Cha / "Tears Dry on Their Own"9
910
910
10
12Waltz / "He Was Beautiful"
Jive / "Crocodile Rock"9
810
810
8
13Argentine Tango / "Infiltrado"
Quickstep / "Dancing in the Dark"8
108
1010
10
14Foxtrot / "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"
Cha-Cha-Cha / "Tears Dry on Their Own"10
1010
1010
10
::

Series 7 – with celebrity dance partner: Jo Wood Series average: 18.8

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodGoodmanDixonTonioli
2Tango / "Let's Dance"355
Rumba / "Fallen"3555
3Paso Doble / "Because the Night"366
4Foxtrot / "Crazy"466
5Viennese Waltz / "Trouble"576
6Samba / "Superstition"253
::

Series 8 – with celebrity dance partner Michelle Williams Series average: 26.3

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodGoodmanDixonTonioli
1Cha-Cha-Cha / "Stone Cold Sober"567
2Foxtrot / "It Had to Be You"677
3Rumba / "Wicked Game"467
41Tango / "Killer"677
5Jive / "The Time Warp"768
6Waltz / "Right Here Waiting"688
7Paso Doble / "American Woman"567
1 Professional dancer Ian Waite stood in Cole's position this week, whilst he was away attending his father's funeral.
::

Series 9 – with celebrity dance partner Lulu Series average: 24.8

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodGoodmanDixonTonioli
1Cha-Cha-Cha / "I've Got The Music In Me"255
2Foxtrot / "Breakeven"567
3Rumba / "All I Ask of You"577
4Samba / "Sir Duke"567
5Paso Doble / "Highway to Hell"678
6Tango / "Kiss"5817
1 Score from guest judge Jennifer Grey.
::

Series 10 – with celebrity dance partner Victoria Pendleton Series average: 24.1

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Cha-Cha-Cha / "Spinning Around"345
2Foxtrot / "Moondance"667
3Rumba / "Up Where We Belong"457
4Tango / "White Wedding"788
5Samba / "It's Not Unusual"666
6Quickstep / "Luck Be a Lady"778
7Paso Doble / "Bicycle Race"567
8Salsa / "Candy"466
::

Series 11 – with celebrity dance partner Sophie Ellis-Bextor Series average: 33.3

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Waltz / "Moon River"777
2Charleston / "Rock It For Me"999
3Samba / "All Night Long (All Night)"788
4Foxtrot / "Cheek to Cheek"899
5Cha-Cha-Cha / "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"787
6Jive / "Maneater"678
7Argentine Tango / "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"888
8Quickstep / "The Lady Is a Tramp"799
9Rumba / "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"788
10Viennese Waltz / "My Favorite Things"999
11Tango / "Material Girl"
Swing-a-Thon / "Do You Love Me"9
Awarded8
48
bonus
12Paso Doble / "Montagues and Capulets"
American Smooth / "They Can't Take That Away From Me"8
89
99
9
13Viennese Waltz / "My Favorite Things"
Showdance / "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)"9
810
910
9
::

Series 12 – with celebrity dance partner Sunetra Sarker Series average: 28.4

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Tango / "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)"566
2Cha-Cha-Cha / "Million Dollar Bill"667
3American Smooth / "The Way You Look Tonight"78, 819
4Salsa / "Turn The Beat Around"677
5Viennese Waltz / "Anyone Who Had a Heart"778
6Jive / "Tainted Love"677
7Foxtrot / "All of Me"788
8Samba / "I Don't Feel Like Dancin"688
9Waltz / "Last Request"778
10Rumba / "The Girl from Ipanema"578
1 Score from guest judge Donny Osmond.
::

Series 13 – with celebrity dance partner Kirsty Gallacher Series Average 21.7 ::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Waltz / "Vincent"456
2Salsa / "Can't Touch It"555
3American Smooth / "He's a Tramp"566
4Pasodoble / "Beautiful Day"466
5Viennese Waltz / "This Year's Love"778
6Charleston / "Bad Romance"355
::

Series 14 – with celebrity dance partner Anastacia Series Average 26.5

Due to Cole being too ill to dance on Week 5, Anastacia danced with Gorka Márquez. ::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodBussellGoodmanTonioli
1Cha-Cha-Cha / "Lady Marmalade"877
2Salsa / "Sax"466
3Viennese Waltz / "A Thousand Years"677
4Rumba / "The Way We Were"677
5Quickstep / "My Kind of Town"
Danced with Gorka Márquez778
6Jive / "Bat Out of Hell"477
::

Series 15 – with celebrity dance partner Charlotte Hawkins Series average: 17.5

::data[format=table]

Week #Dance / SongJudges' scoresTotalResult
HorwoodBussellBallasTonioli
1Foxtrot / "The Best Is Yet to Come"556
2Cha-Cha-Cha / "Sugar"243
3Tango / "Danger Zone"454
4Jive / "Marry You"455
::

Charity work

Cole has supported several charity functions including children's anti-bullying campaigning group Act Against Bullying.

References

References

  1. Cole, Brendan. (26 June 2018). "Oh yeah.... 26/06/2010".
  2. (18 October 2010). "Celebrity Interview – Brendan Cole".
  3. "Brendan Cole (New Zealand & Camilla Dallerup (Denmark)". DancesportInfo.
  4. "Brendan Cole & Camilla Dallerup Detailed Results Latin". DancesportInfo.
  5. "Film Detail - Everything To Dance For 2008". film-directory.britishcouncil.org.
  6. (4 October 2009). "Star's chicken killing provokes outrage – Animal Welfare – NZ Herald News". Nzherald.co.nz.
  7. Duke, Simon. (2019-10-12). "When is X Factor: Celebrity on? ITV show returns with star lineup".
  8. "BBC sends stars on Vatican pilgrimage".
  9. (30 January 2018). "Brendan Cole 'in shock' at being dropped from Strictly Come Dancing". BBC News.
  10. (1 November 2015). "Kirsty Gallacher first female celebrity to be voted off Strictly Come Dancing". BT.
  11. "BBC – Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2015 celebrity line-up revealed – Media Centre".
  12. Dowell, Ben. (15 October 2017). "Strictly Come Dancing week 4: And the third celebrity to leave is...". Radio Times.
  13. (25 December 2017). "Katie Derham & Brendan Cole win Strictly Christmas Special 2017".
  14. [http://www.actagainstbullying.com/events/AAB%20Cup%202007.htm AAB 20 Cup] {{webarchive. link. (5 July 2008)

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1976-birthsliving-peoplenew-zealand-atheistsnew-zealand-ballroom-dancersnew-zealand-expatriates-in-englandnew-zealand-people-of-scottish-descententertainers-from-christchurchstrictly-come-dancing-winners21st-century-new-zealand-dancers