Strictly’s Brendan Cole admits worries ahead of Dancing On Ice stint after a ‘wobbly’ first attempt

Pro ballroom dancer Brendan Cole has spoken about signing up to the upcoming series of Dancing On Ice.

The ex-Strictly Come Dancing professional admitted on Wednesday that he’s worried about taking part, after hitting the rink for the first time and being ‘terrible’ at skating.

He told Loose Women: ‘I’ve had one go. I’m a fairly confident person and I like to think I’m going to be good at what I put my hand to or my feet to! I was thinking okay I’m going to be fine, I’m going to be out there and I was terrible.

‘I was terrible!’ Pro ballroom dancer Brendan Cole has spoken about signing up to the upcoming series of Dancing On Ice

‘I was a bit wobbly. You can expect to be a bit wobbly on ice but I was hoping I was going to be better than I was.

‘I’ve got time to learn. I’m just going to embrace the whole experience and I’m very excited to get started.’

Regardless of this, he added: ‘I’m so, so excited. It’s been a while coming now. I’ve known I’d be doing the show for quite some time and I want to get started, I’m so excited to be on the show.

‘To be off the stage for such a long time now. I think March last year I finished my theatre production and all the lockdowns happened. To be back on a big stage – and this is a very big, very cold stage – I cannot tell you how excited I am.

Concerns: The ex-Strictly Come Dancing professional admitted on Wednesday that he's worried about taking part, after hitting the rink for the first time and being 'terrible' at skating

Concerns: The ex-Strictly Come Dancing professional admitted on Wednesday that he’s worried about taking part, after hitting the rink for the first time and being ‘terrible’ at skating

He told Loose Women: 'I've had one go. I'm a fairly confident person and I like to think I'm going to be good at what I put my hand to or my feet to! I was thinking okay I'm going to be fine, I'm going to be out there and I was terrible'

He told Loose Women: ‘I’ve had one go. I’m a fairly confident person and I like to think I’m going to be good at what I put my hand to or my feet to! I was thinking okay I’m going to be fine, I’m going to be out there and I was terrible’

‘It means a lot to us in the entertainment industry to have these opportunities and I’m going to take it with both skates!’

MailOnline revealed he had signed up earlier this week.

It comes two years after fellow ex-pro James Jordan won the series.

Brendan, 45, who was axed from BBC’s Strictly in 2018, is the latest celebrity to join the lineup, which includes rugby ace Ben Foden, 36, and Love Island’s Liberty Poole, 22.

Brendan, who won Strictly’s debut series in 2004 with newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, is hoping to follow in James’ footsteps by dominating the Dancing On Ice competition.

He added: 'I was a bit wobbly. You can expect to be a bit wobbly on ice but I was hoping I was going to be better than I was. I've got time to learn. I'm just going to embrace the whole experience and I'm very excited to get started!'

He added: ‘I was a bit wobbly. You can expect to be a bit wobbly on ice but I was hoping I was going to be better than I was. I’ve got time to learn. I’m just going to embrace the whole experience and I’m very excited to get started!’

'He's extremely competitive': Strictly star Brendan Cole has signed up for Dancing On Ice, MailOnline can exclusively reveal (pictured in 2004 with partner Natasha Kaplinsky)

‘He’s extremely competitive’: Strictly star Brendan Cole has signed up for Dancing On Ice, MailOnline can exclusively reveal (pictured in 2004 with partner Natasha Kaplinsky)

A source told MailOnline: ‘Brendan is extremely competitive. He wants to go all the way and win Dancing On Ice.

‘Dancing is his profession so, he already has a lifetime of experience, but he’s a novice when it comes to performing on an ice rink.’

Brendan’s signing comes after Coronation Street actress Sally Dynevor, 58, was announced for the show, as well as ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne’s son Regan, 25.  

They join Happy Mondays’ star Bez, 57, S Club 7 singer Rachel Stevens, 43, and Paralympic medalist Stef Reid, 36, on the show, which launches in January 2022.  

'He wants to go all the way': Brendan, who won Strictly's debut series in 2004 with Natasha Kaplinsky, is hoping to follow in James Jordan's footsteps by dominating the competition (pictured in 2019)

‘He wants to go all the way’: Brendan, who won Strictly’s debut series in 2004 with Natasha Kaplinsky, is hoping to follow in James Jordan’s footsteps by dominating the competition (pictured in 2019)

During his 14-years as a professional dancer on Strictly, Brendan was paired with the likes of Kelly Brook, 41, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, 42, Kirsty Gallacher, 45, and Charlotte Hawkins, 46. 

He was axed from the show in 2018 after ‘breaching protocol by waltzing with Camilla Parker Bowles at Buckingham Palace’ – a claim he has since denied.

It was alleged BBC bosses were left ‘raging’ after Brendan ignored a briefing and asked the Duchess to dance, while the Kiwi simply says his contract was not renewed.

In January 2018, he said: ‘It’s actually quite hard to talk about, the BBC haven’t renewed my contract, we get contracted year upon year, they have made an editorial decision to not have me back on the show.

‘So, I’m a little bit in shock at the moment, I’m quite emotional.’ 

Star: During his 14-years as a professional dancer on Strictly, Brendan was paired with the likes of Kelly Brook (pictured in 2007) Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Kirsty Gallacher

Star: During his 14-years as a professional dancer on Strictly, Brendan was paired with the likes of Kelly Brook (pictured in 2007) Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Kirsty Gallacher 

Brendan was also accused of having a ‘huge ego and difficult behaviour’ during his time on Strictly.

He would frequently snap back at the judges and question their feedback, which once sparked a heated row between him and head judge Shirley Ballas, 61.

This week Dancing On Ice judge John Barrowman, 54, was sacked and replaced by choreographer Arlene Phillips, 78.  

John was given the boot after being accused of repeatedly exposing himself on the sets of other TV shows. 

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