Did he know before or during the show? I ask as on one close up on the results show he did look very upset and I was wondering why? Very sad, will he be able to continue?

Maybe they should ask another professional to step in for a few weeks while he mourns?

He knew before the live show and was offered the chance for him and Michelle to have a bye straight through to next week, but he said no because he didn't want to let anyone down.

And Ian is dancing with Michelle on Saturday as Brendan has gone to NZ to be with his family.

Nice to see Ian again: I've missed him, but not like this. Best wishes to Brendan and his family: well done for carrying on as he did, and supporting Michelle too.

Condolences to Brendan and admiration for going through with the performance on Saturday night. It must have been so hard.

It'll be great to see Ian back but the circumstances are awful.

poor brendan thoughts to him and his familyxxx

Ah poor Brendan!

Best wishes to him and his family at this time. xxx

He should have taken the bye, the public are not monsters on things like this.

He should not be expected to rush back at all. I'd be in pieces for ages.

I think if Ian goes well with Michelle, he may not feel he wants to come back. He didn't appear to be enjoying things with Michelle and he could probably do without the extra stress when he's recovering from the bereavement.

I'm not sure about Michelle, I warmed to her slightly when she looked to be crying, but if she was any cop at all, she should have forgotten about her difficulties and been supporting Brendan. Poor show.

Seen in the other thread on this topic (why are there two, mods?) - a rumour has started that Ian will take over until Michelle goes out because Brendan is staying in NZ for quite a while.

I am not sure Brendan can stay that long in NZ and I doubt if he knows his exact plans yet. Brendan, his brother and Zoe will have work commitments in the UK. They have a tour to organise after Christmas. He and Michelle were getting on very well even though the dancing wasn't progressing as well as he hoped it would.
I think it is probably an unfounded rumour so far.

Evidently the rumour is in the press (thats where my dancing friend heard it). The more likely outcome is that I think that Brendan might be away for a week or two but then back. I do think though that at that point (if she is still in) Michelle may be asked who she prefers to dance with coz if she is gelling better and suddenly progressing further with Ian she may not then want to transfer back to partnering Brendan again.

That's not how the Strictly producers work. Either Ian will bow out gracefully, or continue till the inevitable end.

It's rather more likely, anyway, that Michelle turns out to be unteachable and Ian's cameo is a brief one.

Agreed. Grateful as I am for the return of Ian, I don't think Brendan was in with a shout of the glitterball, so if I were him I'd stay in New Zealand and take care of business as long as he needs to.

I don't think they can do that - BBC would then have to pay both professional dancers. Brendan cannot be expected to hand over his salary, no-one would do it. Nor can Ian be expected to do the rest of the series for nothing. In addition, Michelle gets on very well with Brendan and his wife and I can't see her doing that to him, especially after such a sad loss. I am anyway not sure she is in it to become a dancer, but to learn a new skill, had some fun and enhance her profile in the UK.
Michelle tweeted last night that Brendan is returning and she is dancing this week with Ian - implying that, as yet, the plan is for a short-term stint only.

Every cloud eh

Condolences to Brendan and his family, clearly a true professional.

Sincere condolances to brendan

Who's pretending that the result show is filmed on a sunday?

The BBC

Michelle will not be given a choice of whether to dance with Ian or Brendan - Brendan is the pro dancer under contract to compete in the show, so if he chooses to return he will go straight back into competing with Michelle.