Strictly Brendan

IT isnt hard to figure out where Brendan is amid the crowd. Hes at the centre of a group of clearly smitten teenage girls and as they vie to stand beside him he just smiles before the camera. Hes dressed in jeans and a grey jacket, which has a slightly showy sheen, and overall he cuts a figure that is handsome, honed and lean. Its pretty easy to see why hes labelled a charmer.

Today, instead of wooing women on the ballroom floor or off it, hes come to Newcastle to help with a young peoples dance campaign. Hes teaching local dance instructors to improve their basic skills, with the idea that many youngsters will then benefit from this. He says hes happy to be playing such an influential role.

The NSSP (Newcastle School Sport Partnership) asked me if Id like to come up here and be part of their day, explains Brendan. Every primary school child now is going to have to do dance, which is great because it gives so much to development in terms of interaction and social skills. When I was a kid there was nothing like this.

A star of TVs Strictly Come Dancing, which Brendan has been with from the start, it seems the Latin American champion has the world at his feet. He gets to dance with glamorous women C the latest being Kelly Brook C and show his prowess in the ballroom to the nation every week. Yet as a youngster first being taken to classes by his mum, he never thought hed end up dancing as a job.

Right at the beginning I hated every second of it, says Brendan, a native New Zealander. I was six going on seven, so I was of an age where youre much happier being in the garden, but as soon as I did my first competition I was hooked. I did all sports but I happened to be very good at dancing and I think when youre good at it and you get a lot of encouragement, you stick to it, and here I am.

A T 17 he came to Britain on the competition circuit, saw the dance scene in this country and felt he had to get involved. It just blew my mind. Three hundred and sixty days later I was back in the country and havent looked back. I met my dance partner, Camilla, and this became our base.

Camilla Dallerup, to whom he refers, became his other half as well, and so when Strictly came along they joined the programme as a couple. When Brendan first heard the proposal he admits he wasnt keen. I thought it was going to be a big slag off of ballroom dancing, says the 31-year-old, who lives in London. I thought they were going to make us all look stupid. But we got involved and its nice to have helped make Strictly what it is.

The current series is the fifth and its as popular as ever, with millions tuning in each week. An early victory by Brendan saw him and his celebrity partner Natasha Kaplinsky emerge as debut series winners, and at the time the story was that they were more than just good friends. The fact that both broke off relationships added credence to this claim, but Brendan wont respond to questions on the Five News anchorwoman. I dont talk about Natasha. I prefer it not to be mentioned, he says peevishly.

He is less reticent, however, on parting company with Camilla. It was a terrible time but thats what happens, he says nonchalantly.

Were good friends now and weve worked together since.

It was the media speculation of a romance with Ms Kaplinsky that gave him a name for being a shameless womaniser. He says the image can be tiresome and that its vastly overblown. Its good and bad C I dont think anybody wants to be grandmas favourite, but at the same time its a little bit tedious. The reason Ive got the reputation is if I talk to somebody, all of a sudden Im dating them, so its a little bit frustrating in terms of the media because they basically print whatever they want. Im trying to get away from that image because its not true. I have a good time C dont get me wrong C but if Id slept with all the women they say I have Id be a very busy boy.

Of course, his role of teaching dance to celebrities for the programme means lots of close-up body contact and long days spent in their company.

If there is scope for some flirtation Brendan firmly plays this down. The first week is very strange with anybody, it doesnt matter who it is, he says. Youre thrown into this situation and youve got to have the same drive, the same goals, so it can be very full-on. You havent got a lot of time C you literally go straight into training C so it can be very intense and yes, it is very hands-on, but as long as your partner is prepared for that then you can get straight to work.

With Kelly Brook, the model and actress whom hes coaching at the moment, its clear that Brendan feels that luck has been distinctly on his side. He is generous with his praise. Shes just a natural person C she bowls in, shes bubbly, shes always smiling, shes enthusiastic, and she wants to be involved in the show, which is a first for me, he says. Shes great C I couldnt have asked for a better partner.

Shes a very beautiful girl so yes, Im extremely lucky. Im sure all the boys in Great Britain who have seen the show are very envious of me, which I like. This year the female line-up is quite spectacularly stunning.

The series may have just begun but theres been whispering already, the papers gleefully suggesting Brendan hopes to win the girl. He laughs this off and claims hes focused on competing.

Its very professional C I get in there and do my job, he says. The papers will, before long, have me burying Billy (Zane, Kellys boyfriend) in the backyard but its not like that at all. Billy is very much aware of what were doing and very involved, so any speculation you read, dont believe it.

A cad he may be, but hes honest C hes never claimed to be a saint C and if he comes across as arrogant, well he isnt too upset. He says believing in himself has got him where he is today. Im confident C I believe in myself and what I stand for and Im very hard pressed to hold my mouth, says Brendan. I think thats why I am where I am.

ö Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC1 on Saturday at 5.45pm, with the results on Sunday at 6.50pm.