Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole talks ahead of Birmingham performance

Stunning lighting, amazing special effects and superb choreography make All Night Long a genuine party.

And at the centre of it all is the generous, exuberant, charismatic Brendan.

He’ll bring his show to Birmingham’s Symphony Hall tonight.

But as popular as his touring shows are, he realises he’ll always be best known for his work on BBC’s favourite winter show. And after 12 series and numerous dance partners – from people who’ve become lifelong friends to divas like Lulu – Brendan feels like he has a degree in psychology.

Each year, when he waits to hear who his new Strictly partner will be, it’s an exercise in anxiety.

“You’d be lying if you said there wasn’t a bit of anxiety. Everyone’s going: ‘Crikey, who am I going to spend the next three and a half months with?’ It’s a terrible, terrible blind date situation.”

At other times, the chemistry is electric – like in his first, winning coupling with newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky.

Brendan adds: “Strictly’s like any other working relationship except that it is hands on, up close and personal. I like to think I’ve got a really strong relationship with my partners, that I support them. Although, sometimes you have a clash. That’s not because you’re a bad person, that’s not because they’re a bad person – except for the one. It’s just that your personalities aren’t suited to being together that much.”

He’s viewed as Strictly’s bad boy. Not that he sees himself as being a villain of the peace. “If you look back to the early days of Strictly, the bravado was just . . .

“I want to give that guy a slap. Calm yourself down, just relax a little bit. You’ve got nothing to prove. Stop it.”

Becoming a married man and a father has mellowed him. “I don’t want to embarrass them. I don’t want people going: ‘Your Dad’s am idiot’. Since I’ve been with Zoë, I’ve tried to thinkmore before speaking. Before, I used to speak, then think, and then go ‘Whoops-a-daisy’.”

He was glad to be paired with Anastacia on last year’s show. “Looking back, it’s a brilliant match. We are quite similar in personality – bit naughty and a bit cheeky. We like to have a bit of fun. We are not particularly serious but we are serious about doing great stuff, if you know what I mean.

“The show needs personalities. Anton is obviously a big personality on the show. Hopefully I’m a big personality. We are not wallflowers – we don’t stand in the background. A wallflower-type partner would not have made good telly. For that reason we bounce off each other, have good banter, chat and energy.

“There was no holding back with her. What you saw was what you got with her. She is very quick-witted and I like that. She is funny and on it and it was exciting for the show.”

Brendan enjoyed the success of politician Ed Balls and he thinks there’s plenty of room on Strictly for more people from Westminster.

“They are quite interesting as we only see one side of them. The nice thing about Ed was he was a really nice fella. As politicians who are hated by everybody because they can’t do right. Damned if they do and damned if they don’t. It’s a very nice chance to see someone like him on the show so you can see their true personality rather than their work personality.”

One politician, however, might not do quite as well. Brendan says Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wouldn’t make the cut.

“Oh Jesus, please. I’m not sure he has got the dancing goods. I’m not sure he is ready for the new age clothing either. Sorry Mr Corbyn. You’re more likely to get someone like Cherie Blair. I know she loves it. I have spoken to her about it. She watches the show so you are more likely to get someone like Mrs Cameron maybe. I quite like her. I like her style. She would be great. I’m not sure we will get any of the top brass though.”

For tickets to All Night Long, visit www.thsh.co.uk/event/brendan-cole