hips don't lie: Brendan Cole: Why holidays are Strictly choreographed by Brendan"s new girl

By

Sebastian Lander

PUBLISHED:

10:28 EST, 1 March 2013

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UPDATED:

11:07 EST, 1 March 2013

For a man who has made a successful living from his feet, it seems an irony when Brendan Cole says he’s only just finding them as a new father.

In fact, the professional ballroom dancer and star of Strictly Come Dancing has just decided to postpone a holiday he had planned with wife oe and two-month-old daughter Aurelia as anxiety about travelling with the youngster got the better of them.

“We’re very nervous about it,” he says. “It’s a big thing to go away with a new baby.” Many new parents would agree.

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Fancy footwork: Brendan Cole performs on stage during his show last year at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales – he returns this year

But a happy result is that Brendan – originally from New ealand – expects to see more of his adopted country with his new family.

“I don’t generally go away in England that much – we tend to go abroad [as] Europe is so close with almost guaranteed weather,’ he says.

But now his daughter has arrived, local destinations are on the agenda. “We thought maybe we’ll just wait for the summer,” he adds.

In fact, Brendan has already been exploring more of the UK of late, on his Licence to Thrill tour, a night that promises ‘all of the Ballroom and Latin favourites seen on Strictly Come Dancing.’

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“Incredible”: Brendan is clearly passionate about his home town – Christchurch, New ealand

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Top tip: Akaroa, on the South Island, is one of Brendan’s recommendations for New ealand

The

show has revealed to Brendan not only the delights of towns such as

Truro, but Scotland too, including Perth (“a beautiful little city”) and

Edinburgh (“the grandness!”).

And the dancer will be taking in Wales this month when he appears at the Celtic Manor resort on March 9 for the second year running with a performance he describes as a “big night out”.

There’ll be a 14-piece orchestra and six dancers performing (including Brendan), with a bit of “chat” and music from the classics, including Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé.

“I like to think of it is an evening with, rather than a show,” he says. “There’s a little bit of something for everyone.”

Although he might not be planning to jet off anywhere soon, the 36-year-old has stacked up a wealth of travel memories after his growing success opened up the world to him.

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“Beach after beach after beach”: Brendan and wife oe are fans of Majorca

“I had one holiday in my twenties because every other penny went into making the craft,” he adds.

But that fancy footwork has taken him across the globe from Russia to Asia although, ironically as he is a Latin American dancer, not to South America.

“I’ve been to lots of place – I did a lot more than I do now. My job takes up a lot of time.”

Brendan is a big fan of Japan and Australia and last year, he travelled to Koh Samui, Thailand.

But one of his favourite places is closer to home – Majorca, Spain, although he’s not so keen on the “Brits abroad thing”.

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Cole comfort: Brendan promises the show will be a “big night out”

“You

just grab a car and go from beach to beach,” he says, if there was any

doubt about whether he likes to just flop on holiday. “And you’ve got

fantastic restaurants.”

Brendan

grew up in Christchurch, South Island, and although he hasn’t been back since the

earthquake of 2010, his voice lights up with enthusiasm on mention of

his home country.

“New ealand is just phenomenal,” he says, adding that he is afraid of seeing the level of destruction meted out. “I’m almost reluctant to go as it is the city I grew up in.”

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New arrival: Brendan and wife oe before their daughter was born

He has vowed to return once it has been fully rebuilt.

Brendan names Queenstown, also on the south Island, and Akaroa as particularly beautiful places to visit.

Although, he adds: “Anywhere you go in New ealand has its charms. Places like that are dime a do en.”

And while travel has been put on hold as he gets to grips with fatherhood, don’t expect to see him booking trips on a budget airline when he does decide to escape to sunnier shores – he “can’t stand” them.

“They do my head in. There’s a lack of niceness,” he says.

Although whether or not Brendan will follow in the footsteps of Strictly colleague Craig Revel Horwood, who will take to the seas on seven Strictly-themed cruise voyages this year with PO, remains to be seen.

He seems hesitant: “I never have done a cruise. I’d be interested. You’d have to find me the right one.”

Brendan hopes to be back on our screens for Series 11 of Strictly and I wonder whether the cast ever goes on holiday as a group?

When they go on tour, they have a “blimin’ good time”, he says, but holidays?

‘Hell no! We spend five months of the year together.’

Brendan Cole will be appearing at Celtic Manor on March 9. For more information and ticket bookings, visit www.celtic-manor.com. Packages start from £150 per person, including a champagne reception on arrival, three-course dinner with wine and entertainment.