Brendan Cole's dance firm goes bust, nearly £100,000 owed to creditors
Former Strictly pro Brendan Cole's company Brendan Cole Ltd was wound up in 2021; liquidators say creditors are unlikely to be repaid as debts include a Bounce Back loan and tax bills.
Brendan Cole's company Brendan Cole Ltd, launched in 2009 while he remained a regular on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, entered voluntary liquidation in November 2021 after failing to repay almost £100,000 to creditors, Companies House records show. The defunct business, which listed its main activity as amusement and recreation activities, had accounts overdue for May 2021, six months before it liquidated. The collapse followed Cole's shift to television appearances, including a stint on ITV's Dancing On Ice.
Liquidators said that after asset realisations, fees and expenses, it is unlikely there will be a distribution to any class of creditor. They cited debts including a £28,000 tax bill and a £50,000 Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan from HSBC, among other liabilities disclosed in 2022 statements. Those records also show the firm owed £22,000 in corporation tax, £6,000 in PAYE and National Insurance contributions, £4,600, and £400 to accountants, before the liquidation. Cole owned 70% of the business; his wife Zoe owned the remaining 30%.
Coles's finances also include a director’s loan taken out of the firm; liquidators say he has agreed to repay about £45,000 via monthly installments of £1,000.
Cole has publicly discussed his time away from Strictly in recent years. In 2024 he spoke to Metro about the emotional toll of the show, saying it can be the best job in the world but also the worst, and recalled working with celebrities he did not particularly like.
The Daily Mail has sought comment from a representative for Cole.