Brendan Cole has already predicted this year’s Strictly Come Dancing winner (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeStrictly Come Dancing legend Brendan Cole, who starred in the hit BBC One show for 13 years, has been keeping a watchful eye on this year’s competition. While we’re only four weeks in, Brendan has already predicted who will take home the Glitterball trophy, spoken about the most entertaining couple and the celebrity who will ‘never be in a dance-off’, thanks to their undeniable popularity with the public. The New Zealand ballroom dancer, 48, was a staple on Strictly for over ten years, having been a part of the professional team from 2004 to 2017. He became the first-ever winner on the show with partner Natasha Kaplinsky in series one, and during his lengthy Strictly career was partnered with the likes of Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Sarah Manners, Fiona Phillips, Claire King, Kelly Brook, Lisa Snowdon, Jo Wood and Michelle Williams.
Brendan Cole was a part of the Strictly Come Dancing professional team from 2004 to 2017
(Image: BBC)
With Strictly still close to his heart, Brendan has been keeping a watchful eye on this year’s celebrities and believes there’s one couple that has stolen the spotlight when it comes to their compatibility as a partnership. Speaking exclusively to OK! Brendan revealed: “Wynne [Evans] and Katya [Jones] have got something really lovely [and are the most entertaining]. They’ve got a lovely relationship. “It would seem he’s very endearing within the show and she’s a brilliant choreographer. They’re getting it just right across the board, from choice of dance, choice of song, the look, his personality, her personality, it’s just hitting that Strictly sweet spot.” When it comes to the celebrity who has already won over the public vote, Brendan, speaking in collaboration with Sky Vegas, revealed that comedian Chris McCausland is the one people ‘love’ – and with such a fandom, could avoid a dance-off throughout the series. Brendan told us: “Chris [McCausland’s] definitely has the audience on side. He’s got a passion for the show, he’s funny – everything he does, you feel like he’s in control of it.”
The former professional dancer believes that Chris McCausland will avoid the dance-offs entirely
(Image: BBC)
Brendan sees Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas as this year’s Strictly champions
(Image: BBC)
Sign up to OK’s TV newsletter to get updates sent to your inbox for free He added: “That, alongside the fact that he’s doing everything with such a disadvantage because of being blind, it’s a perfect little storm within Strictly. People love that – when I watch him, I think, ‘That’s lovely’, what a brilliant job? Hasn’t he done well?” He added: “They need to pull him up a bit more on his technique, but they’re not going to. I don’t see him ever being in the dance-off, I don’t see the audience not voting for him so that they end up in the dance-off. He’s probably even more of a favourite than Jamie [Borthwick], who I’ve mentioned before [to be a favourite], just for the fact that people are absolutely loving what he’s doing.” With the competition heating up during the show’s 20th anniversary, Brendan has already predicted this year’s winner. “My favourite for the Glitterball at the moment is probably Jamie Borthwick. He’s awesome, he’s so in it [the running to win]. He has such passion for the show. Everything he does, it just seems like he’s 100% committed to it, which I quite like. The technique wasn’t great on the Salsa, but he just went for it. I love that.”Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnBrendan ColeStrictly Come Dancing