Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole has addressed reports he is leaving the hit dancing show. The star, who has appeared on the BBC programme for 15 years, hinted that he might depart after he was eliminated from the competition this week with partner Charlotte Hawkins. When asked by Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan about the rumours during Tuesday's Good Morning Britain, Brendan replied: "It's a good question - every year I have this argument with myself in my head."
Brendan Cole and Charlotte Hawkins were voted off Strictly this week
Is Brendan Cole set to leave Strictly after 15 years?
He added: "Do I want to do another series? I love the show - I love being on it, I love the people who take part in it. I said at the time, I'm going to miss this, as in going into the studio with Charlotte. I said on air, this is one of the best series I've ever had. So am I coming back next year, am I not? That depends if the BBC want me and what I'm doing at the time." Turning his attention towards Piers, the dancer joked: "We're like Marmite, us two, some people love us and some people hate us. Every year it's the same thing - if I'm ready and available and want to do it - if I'm inspired to do it - then I'll come back, if the BBC want me. Every year it's a new contract, we don't get a contract for five years or anything."
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On Sunday's results show, Brendan, 41 reflected on his time in the competition with GMB's Charlotte. "Quite often you stand in this position and you go, 'Hey, it was our time to go', and perhaps today it was our time to go," he said. "Not often you stand here with such sadness and go, 'I'm going to miss this and I'm going to miss hanging out with this girl.' I've had one of the best Strictly's in 15 years and it's hard for me to even say that, and I feel really emotional."
Charlotte's daughter Ella Rose also made an appearance on GMB
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Throughout the series, Bredan hit back at the judges' "unfair" comments about his dances with Charlotte. When asked about his remarks, the dancer told Susanna: "I told my wife I wasn't going to speak back after we get criticised, I told Charlotte and Charlotte's husband I wouldn't, so when she said 'Mollie' I was looking around, like, 'I'm not saying anything'. And that's the thing - this series the professionals apparently aren't allowed to have an opinion on anything, and I find this quite frustrating because I'm a colleague of Shirley." He added: "She's not my superior, she's a judge on the show and I respect that. I love them all. But I've realised through the power of social media that people don't like when you have an opinion on something. I've got a very strong opinion [on a lot of topics]."