Strictly Come Dancing is a popularity contest, says Brendan Cole
The former Strictly star also criticised the high number of maximum 10 scores awarded during the 2018 series.
Brendan Cole has aired his “disappointment” at the high number of 10s awarded during this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The 42-year-old, who appeared in the first 15 series of the BBC One programme, announced earlier this year that his contract for the show had not been renewed.
The first 10 of this year’s series, which was won by BBC documentary-maker Stacey Dooley and professional dancer Kevin Clifton, was awarded to Red Dwarf star Danny John-Jules and Amy Dowden for their jive in week five of the competition.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Cole said: “Craig (Revel Horwood) is mainly bang on the money, I’m not sure about the rest of them (the judges). I was really disappointed with how many 10s were thrown out across the board from various judges.”
During the weekend’s finale show, Steps star Faye Tozer and the Pussycat Dolls’ Ashley Roberts both scored perfect 40s for their trio of dances.
The eventual winner, Dooley, scored 39, 36 and 39 respectively, while another of the finalists, YouTuber Joe Sugg, scored two 39s and a 38.
Responding to a question from GMB host Piers Morgan about how Dooley could have won despite having the lowest scores, Cole said: “Because it’s a popularity contest, it’s how the show wants it.”
When Morgan suggested it might make it seem “impure”, Cole added: “I think it makes a bit of a mockery of it, but at the same time it’s an entertainment show, it’s not a dance competition…”.
He continued: “10 means it’s perfect and, I’m sorry, I haven’t seen a perfect dance on Strictly in my 15 years so.”.
The New Zealand-born dancer also defended Roberts having had dance experience before appearing on Strictly.
He said the show could end up being “boring” if “everyone was of a similar standard”.
“It would be really dull, you need the good ones. What I loved about Ashley is every single week she was better than the last and that’s what Strictly is about, getting better.”
Writing in his weekly Hello! magazine column following the Saturday finale show, Cole also referenced Clifton’s apparent dissatisfaction at being given an eight by Revel Horwood for their show dance.
Cole wrote in Hello!: “Having a go at a judge for not giving a 9 or a 10 is quite a risk and one that I thought may have swayed the public to vote another way.
“Also, the chap in question ran the risk of showing a perhaps ‘not so squeaky clean’ side to the Strictly viewers. Dangerous stuff in a fluffy final, Kevin!”.
Brendan Cole is currently starring in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs at the Wycombe Swan theatre in High Wycombe.
