Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole tells MATTHEW JENKIN about his touring show and why he's the bad boy of ballroom.

SEQUINNED leotards, orange perma-tans and enough hair wax to polish the deck of the QEII used to be the image evoked by the very mention of ballroom dancing.

With about as much street-cred as a beat-boxing granny, the prospect of attracting millions to tune in and watch a ballroom dancing contest on prime time television was almost unthinkable 10 years ago.

But all that changed when the BBC unleashed Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday night audiences and what was once undeniably naff is now young, sexy and, dare I say it, cool.

The contest has become a national obsession and one of the show's professional stars Brendan Cole has hit the road with his own show, Live and Unjudged, visiting The Orchard theatre in Dartford this month.

“The show is a hell of a schedule,” Brendan says, admitting its two hour running time is as exhausting as it is exhilarating.

He said: “It's predominantly ballroom Latin and the same style you're going to see on Strictly Come Dancing, but done my way.”

And with a reputation for being the bad boy of ballroom, anything done Brendan's way has got to be worth watching.

His outspoken character and antics on and off Strictly, including a high profile affair with newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, have frequently grabbed the headlines.

Growing up in the macho, sports obsessed culture of New Zealand goes some way to explaining his feisty personality.

He said: “ My reputation is not a bad one to have if you're a ballroom dancer.

“You don't want to be the sissy of the ballroom world. It's all developed from being a youngster and having to fight my way through life.

“There was loads of stigma about ballroom dancing. I did get a lot of stick and there was a lot of teasing, but if someone says I can't do something, I'm going to stand up and fight for it.”

Despite speaking frankly about his career, he is uncharacteristically cagey when pressed to talk about last year's controversial decision to drop 66-year-old judge Arlene Phillips from Strictly in favour of 30-year-old Alesha Dixon.

The move prompted accusations of ageism, but Brendan says any change would have upset viewers.

He said: “I think it was an interesting call at the time. The BBC make their decisions for whatever reasons and they do it for the good of the show.

“As a dancer on the show I have nothing to do with those decisions and you have to take it on board and accept it.

“Alesha was in a no-win situation. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't.”

With Brendan hoping to return for another series of Strictly Come Dancing, it's no surprise he's keeping schtum on the issue.

Undefeated I continue to dig for a juicy tit-bit of gossip. He must have at least a speck of dirt on some of his celebrity dancing partners.

Come on Brendan, name names.

Standing firm, he replied: “Now why would I do something like that?”

Bredan Cole: Live and Unjudged. The Orchard, Home Gardens, Dartford. May 17. 7.45pm. 01322 220000 or visit orchardtheatre.co.uk