This is Somerset --
I WAS concerned that this was going to be just another Strictly spin-off show, a couple of professionals going through the routines in front of a half tidy band. How wrong can you be? Brendan Cole broke the mould and created an exhilarating show, incorporating all of the usual ballroom and latin dances which you expect to see but crucially, with the audience in mind!
Five dancers started the show behind a gauze, teasing the audience, before Brendan appeared like a gladiator entering the arena to an ecstatic ovation. Instantly we realised that there was more to this man than being just another dancer, he has real star quality and whenever he was onstage, all eyes were glued to him.
He has a way of making his arms and legs appear to be longer and faster than everyone around him whilst also making it all look so easy! The leading lady Fauve Hautot was sensational. She won the French version of Strictly Come Dancing and it won't be any surprise if she appears on the UK version sometime soon.
Dancers Melanie Hooper, Crystal Main, Patrick Helm and Brendan's big brother Scott Cole had the time of their lives performing in front of Barry Robinson's magnificent 13-piece band while singers Julie Maguire and Iain Mackenzie crooned their way through the night.
Brendan was equally at home with the microphone as he compered the evening with no little amount of charm. With a theme like "licence to thrill" you would expect some James Bond music, like The Man With The Golden Gun which gave Brendan a chance to poke fun at Lulu following their well documented Strictly experience. Finishing the show with the iconic lift from Dirty Dancing before blowing the roof off with Footloose was the perfect ending to a spectacular show. Worth more than "Sevennnn" as Len Goodman would say, I'm not sure when Brendan last got a 10 on strictly but he earned one from me.
10 /10 Reported by This is 5 hours ago.
I WAS concerned that this was going to be just another Strictly spin-off show, a couple of professionals going through the routines in front of a half tidy band. How wrong can you be? Brendan Cole broke the mould and created an exhilarating show, incorporating all of the usual ballroom and latin dances which you expect to see but crucially, with the audience in mind!
Five dancers started the show behind a gauze, teasing the audience, before Brendan appeared like a gladiator entering the arena to an ecstatic ovation. Instantly we realised that there was more to this man than being just another dancer, he has real star quality and whenever he was onstage, all eyes were glued to him.
He has a way of making his arms and legs appear to be longer and faster than everyone around him whilst also making it all look so easy! The leading lady Fauve Hautot was sensational. She won the French version of Strictly Come Dancing and it won't be any surprise if she appears on the UK version sometime soon.
Dancers Melanie Hooper, Crystal Main, Patrick Helm and Brendan's big brother Scott Cole had the time of their lives performing in front of Barry Robinson's magnificent 13-piece band while singers Julie Maguire and Iain Mackenzie crooned their way through the night.
Brendan was equally at home with the microphone as he compered the evening with no little amount of charm. With a theme like "licence to thrill" you would expect some James Bond music, like The Man With The Golden Gun which gave Brendan a chance to poke fun at Lulu following their well documented Strictly experience. Finishing the show with the iconic lift from Dirty Dancing before blowing the roof off with Footloose was the perfect ending to a spectacular show. Worth more than "Sevennnn" as Len Goodman would say, I'm not sure when Brendan last got a 10 on strictly but he earned one from me.
10 /10 Reported by This is 5 hours ago.