‘Be more respectful’: Strictly Come Dancing's Bruno Tonioli scolds Brendan Cole for answering back to head judge Shirley Ballas

It was an awkward exchange between the professional and the judges
Not happy: Brendan (R) hit back against Shirley Ballas' critique
BBC

Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli has told Brendan Cole to ‘be more respectful’ after the professional dancer answered back to head of the panel Shirley Ballas.

Ballas had critiqued Cole and his celebrity dance partner Charlotte Hawkins for having ‘rise and fall’ in their Tango performance.

She told the pair: “We’ve established that there’s no rise and fall in the Tango, so we have to make a concrete decision not to use rise and fall”.

Cole hit back against the feedback, telling Ballas he didn’t believe there had been any rise and fall in the dance, and referring to the head judge as ‘my dear’, when she advised him to ‘watch [the performance] back’.

Tango: Brendan Cole and Charlotte Hawkins' performance
Guy Levy

It was Tonioli's turn to give his comments next and he made the most of the opportunity to tell Cole that Ballas was ‘right’ and that he ‘should be more respectful’ towards her.

Viewers were quick to comment on the ‘awkward’ exchange. Some slated Cole for being ‘patronising,’ while others turned on Ballas for showing ‘favouritism’.

One wrote: “Brendan Cole calling Head Judge #mydear so patronising! He didn’t speak to Bruno that way wonder why? #everydaysexism”

While another commented: “The new judge Shirley definitely has her favourites and when she don’t like someone she lets it show”.

Cole, a long-time Strictly cast-member, is known for being one of the more outspoken professionals on the show, often speaking up in his partner’s defence.

Despite the remarks, the panel felt that Hawkins had recovered well from last week’s Cha Cha Cha, which Craig Revel Horwood had branded ‘a disaster darling’.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Sunday, October 8 at 6.35pm on BBC One.

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