Strictly Come Dancing - Brendan Cole praises Kelly Brook

11 December 2007 - Brendan Cole has praised Kelly Brook for attempting to continue on 'Strictly Come Dancing' despite her father's recent death.

Model-turned-actress Kelly eventually pulled out of the reality show after her father died of lung cancer, but her partner Brendan said she was devastated to have to leave the competition.

He told Britain's Sunday Mirror newspaper: "Kelly was upset but her first reaction was to carry on as a tribute to her dad. But we went into training on the Tuesday, the day after he died, and I could see she was a different person.

"She managed to keep her spirits up, but was much quieter than usual. On the Wednesday she came into the studio and just seemed to want to submerge herself in the dancing - she was more focused than ever.

"We were practising our cha-cha and it was literally the best I'd ever seen her dance. It seemed that her dad's passing had given her a new focus and a drive to win. Kelly seemed to be thinking, 'I'm going to do this for my dad and make sure it's the best damn thing I've ever done'."

But Brendan also said when Kelly eventually decided she couldn't continue with the show, she had his full support.

He said: "I just said to her, 'Don't worry and let me know if you need anything - I'm there for you.'

"She obviously made a decision to take some time to grieve. She felt she wasn't able to go on, so it was a case of her saying to me, 'I'm so sorry but I can't do the show any more'.

"The disappointing aspect of it all, I suppose, was knowing how much we could have achieved. My disappointment was more on Saturday night when I was watching everyone else go out on to the dance floor and thinking, 'We belong out there'. It was disappointing not to be on the floor that night with Kelly."

Meanwhile, the show's judges Len Goodman and Craig Revel-Horwood met for a peacemaking dinner last night (10.12.07) after their on-screen battling on Saturday (08.12.07) shocked viewers.

Len threatened to walk off when Craig criticised 'EastEnders' star Matt Di Angelo's samba on the show, but the feisty pair are planning to put their troubles behind them when they go out for dinner following the filming of the show's Christmas special.

A 'Strictly Come Dancing' insider said: "We're filming the Christmas special today and all the judges are going for a Christmas dinner afterwards. Some people reckon either Len or Craig will be eating humble pie."

Former 'EastEnders' star Letitia Dean was voted off the show on Sunday after going head-to-head with Mis-Teeq singer Alesha Dixon in the dance-off.

Check out Kelly Brook's Strictly profile >

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