HE’S known as the 'bad boy' of Strictly and Brendan Cole readily admits that he’s one of the TV dance show’s more colourful characters, writes JOHN ANSON.

“I suppose I am a bit of a Marmite person,” he laughed. “But I can only be who I am.”

In the recent series of Strictly, Brendan caused a controversy when he hit back at head judge Shirley Ballas for her criticism of his celebrity dance partner, TV presenter Charlotte Hawkins.

“I am outspoken,” he said, “but I don’t take it to the dressing room. I say things as I feel them. People know this about me so I’m very easy to pick fights with.

“I do stand up for my partners; they go through a lot.

“Whatever happens on the air happens, but it’s all fluffy and nice off air. I’ll keep being me and they’ll keep picking fights with me - I guess I’m an easy target.”

Brendan, who brings his stage show, All Night Long, to Blackpool in March, said that the last series of Strictly was one of the best so far; he has been a professional on the show since it began in 2003 and he hopes to return for the next series later this year.

“Hopefully I’ll find out in the next couple of months if I’m wanted,” he said. “I hope I am as I love being part of Strictly and it would be difficult to imagine life not being on the show.

“Of course, there will come a day when I decide to hang up my shoes or the BBC will make that decision for me but hopefully that’s something we’ll do together, and certainly not yet.”

This will be the second year that Brendan has taken his All Night Long show out on tour to theatres across the country. Featuring 21 performers, including a 13-piece live band, it is a full-blown theatre show.

“For me, the whole point of going on the road is to put on the best show that you possibly can,” he said. “Of course I am a businessman and want to make money too but I do this because I have a passion for it.

“It’s my show, it’s not produced for me and I just show up, so every detail is important - the lighting, the costumes, the content.

“To have a band who are all world class musicians and the calibre of dancers we have, I’m really proud of it.

“I want people to walk into the theatre anticipating a nice dance show but then walk out saying ‘I can’t believe what I have just seen.’”

This they certainly will as they will get the chance to see Brendan telling stories about life on Strictly, singing and even playing the guitar as well as the spectacular dance routines.

“I do a couple of numbers which are different to what people might expect,” he said. “I’ve been touring with my musical director and singers for a long time so we do a Rat Pack-style thing.

“And the musicians challenged me to learn an instrument, so I did and I play guitar for a contemporary routine.”

Brendan, 41, and his wife Zoe are expecting their second child - they have a five-year-old daughter. The baby is due in March while Brendan will still be on tour.

“We have been trying for a second child for some time and they come when they come. That’s life. I just hope that I’m on a day off when the contractions start and we can sort things out. But I do feel sorry for her that I’m not there when she’s heavily pregnant but these tours are planned years in advance.”

All Night Long plays Blackpool Opera House, on Thursday, March 1 (7.30pm).

Box office 0844-856-1111.