Brendan is my favourite pro dancer and I hope he is better soon.
Gorka is my second favourite pro dancer.

https://twitter.com/BrendanCole?ref_...Ctwgr%5Eauthor Brendan Cole ‏@BrendanCole 3 hours ago
Yes, replaced by the lovely & talented @gorkamarquez1 for rehearsals with @AnastaciaMusic this week. Hoping to be ok by the weekend!

http://brendancole.com/news/strictly...l-but-not-out/ Strictly news - I'm ill but not out!
Posted: October 19, 2016
It's been an interesting week. Many reports going around about the seriousness and implications of my health so here I am setting the record straight about what is happening this week.

Last week, as the season changed into Autumn, I like many accross the UK developed a bit of a cold. As it was just a cold, I continued practising with Anastacis leading up to our Rumba last Saturday. As the week went on I got a little worse and by Thursday it had annoyingly gone to my chest. After suffering a pneumonia in February of this year, I guess my lungs were not up to full strength yet so my immune system wasn't quite ready to deal with what would normally be an innocuous cough.

On Saturday morning in the small hours, I was finding it difficult to get enough oxygen into my lungs and was getting worried that maybe my cough was turning back into what I had in February which had me in and out of hospital over three nights. Because of this I decided to drive myself to the A&E to get myself checked out and make sure it was not a serious chest infection and end up in the same situation as February. Many reports saying that I was rushed to A&E! Far from it, I simply popped down as needed some oxygen and my GP wasn't available at 2am! Turns out my Blood/Oxygen saturation was 93% so I was probably right to do so.

The hospital looked after me very well and I went home a few hours later, diagnosed with a minor chest infection to be dealt with in the normal way. Later that day I danced our Rumba with Anastacia on the live show which was not too much of a problem as it's a nice slow one... a quickstep may have been a different story! During both the Saturday show and the results show, it was reported by various publications that I was clearly seen clutching at my chest in a bit to breathe. Again... not the reality at all. All I was trying to do was cover my microphone so as not to cough down it to a few million people at home - I know, I'm so considerate .

Anyway, this information brings me to this week. After a second visit to a doctor, more tests were done and a full examination. The Doctor advised me to rest as it would be very easy given earlier this year for my Chest infection to become worse. His advice was full rest this week and see how I am on Friday as to whether I can take part in this weekend's Strictly!

Fingers crossed all will be ok as I am feeling a little better today (Wednesday) finally!

Thanks for all of your lovely messages of concern on social media. Very nice to have all your support. Let's hope Anastacia, Gorka and I can do a great job on Saturday!

Brendan X

So didn't everyone. Why are they hanging around?

If they aren't dancing with a celebrity why is the BBC wasting money on employing them to hang around on the balcony with the competitors.

Erin Boag is Anton's professional partner and she doesn't hang around for no reason.

If she's in the dance off for the third time out of four, I think even the judges would take the hint that the public want her to go.

Didn't happen to Jamelia last year though

If I'm not wrong, Jamelia was in the DO five times which I believe is a record

Perhaps they'll be performing with one of the celebs in the Children in Need or Christmas specials?

Excellent information from Brendan!

Hopefully he will be well enough by Saturday, but health should come first (though pro dancers seem to often take chances).

Thanks for the post!

I believe Neil works on the choreography for the group numbers and I think has been a backing dancer when required in previous series.
He has been connected to the show for a year or two now but who's to say that he doesnt do other, outside, stuff as well, and just turns up when required for rehearsals and the main show.

For Chloe, I really dont know. It does seem hard on her, she cant compete without AJ but she hasnt had a lot to do with the series.

Anastacia is favourite with the bookies to go out ( followed by Ed and Lesley ).
However, she was fave last week as well, so who knows.

Love me some Gorka!

Because they are also part of the group dances, or appear on the Results Show along with the guest singer. So they are not simply "hanging around".

I'd like to add my thanks too.

I think he should rest this week and let Gorka present his work

You're welcome.

I thought maybe Gorka was chosen over Neil cause he has more ballroom experience but Neil's done more ballroom so idk. Neil was on ITT tho & probably had to prepare, maybe that's why?

Always interesting to see a celeb with a different partner so looking forwad to it, hope Brendan is better soon, sounds nasty

I hope for the sake of his health that he rests this Saturday and lets Gorka take the strain.

Brendan just tweeted that CNN have reported he has died...

https://twitter.com/BrendanCole/stat...73370260598784

God that's awful. Poor Brendan

Ahhh apparently that is not the real CNN, it's a fake news site. Pretty damn nasty.

If there ever was a time for "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"

But if she is not dancing with Brendan, the judges will keep her. She will be here for ages yet.regardless of how she dances. She has played a blinder by refusing that dance off.

Didn't you say it was time already to not discuss Will further? Surely this has been hashed over and over enough.
Last edited by Domestos : 20-10-2016 at 20:24

I think she's more likely to be dancing with Gorka. Might get to see him in tails. Chest infections don't clear up that quick. Wouldn't be surprised if this was Brendan's last year. Think he's more than had his time on the show. Same for Anton

I have a feeling Anastacia could turn into this year's Jamelia in regards to DO appearances.

Anyway, all the best to Brendan. Chest infections can be a nightmare. I'm sure Gorka's doing a great job though and I certainly don't mind seeing a bit more of him!

Touché ! But Will has gone. Anastasia is still there.

Yes, but the incident was over a month ago. And again TPTB made the decision. But facts eh?