Brendan Cole -Video & Transcript

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Caption Video:

Quote: ‘Dedication’s What You Need’

Song: Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton

Watch Chesney put the song together on Instagram.

A Very Rough Transcript:

Hello everyone. And welcome to Ferguson. Harrington Hawkes. I'm Ferguson. I'm Harrington, and I am Hawkes. Ooh, throwing pants. And this is our podcast where we talk about stuff and things. Very important stuff. Yeah. Very important stuff. Like chickens, like chickens. Yay. There you go. And bees. And bees. 

Yeah, we're getting bees now. Can you believe it? Listeners listener?  

Tell us, what are you calling it.  Well, well, the, the chickens, the chicken Coop’s called Cluckywood, right? Yeah. Cause we live in L.A. Uh, yeah, we live in L.A. which sounds glamorous, but just if you're not in LA and even if you are in LA, I want you to know that L.A when it rains looks exactly like Croyden so keep that in your mind.

True. It is. Yeah. What do you say? The magical kingdom of magic, the kingdom of Van Nuys, you know, I love the magical kingdom of Van Nuys. So the bees, the bees are gonna be called, what's it gonna be called? Buzzywood. And Mark is now building a worm farm, which is like basically a really good composter thing. Right? Yeah.

And we're gonna call that Wormwood Scrubs. A little taste of home. This is why you tune in listeners. This for this, this is the garden update on Lynn's garden. This is the stuff. This is, is what we’re paid for. No, we're not.  Can't even give it away. Basically. The podcast is about Lynn's garden. 

We have important stuff to talk about. Didn't we agree that in this series we were going to try and be brainy? I mean, it like, it's like two dyslexics and an idiot, right?  So like how we're gonna manage it I don't know. But Ches had this brilliant idea didn't you Ches? Cause what was that listener? Because listener aside from being adorable Chesney is also very smart. Very brainy. Very brainy.

Ches has had this idea that we should be smarter and we thought, oh, that's a challenge because you know, we're, we're not that smart but the world at the moment feels like it might be getting a bit, um, like a bit less, uh, contemplative, maybe. I don't know. Would you agree with that boys? Long word? Yeah. Good.

It's a good, it makes me sound smart, right?  But I bet as two dyslexics, you could not spell that. In fact, if you, if you annoy me today, I'm gonna make you spell it. . So Chesney had this idea about that we should bring in quotations and we would discuss, uh, what that quotation means. And we would have guests who would, uh, sort of personify.

I think that's another good brainy word. Really good words. What we feel with that quotation you're on a roll anyway. So Chesney, do you have a quote? Yes. Uh, well, we will. I think as time goes on, we will probably have our guests, um, choose their own favorite quote, but because this was a little bit, last minute, I decided to choose our, our guest’s quote for him.

So the quote that I'm gonna use for our guest today is: 

“Dedication is what you need” by Roy Castle. 

Is he a record breaker? Is that what it is? Is he a we're showing our age with that breaker? 

So aren't we, so yeah, that was Roy Castle. 

The record breaker is what, 1970… I mean, I think he was, that was going through the eighties. I mean, I remember, yeah. 

I, I really hope our listener is older than 25. Yeah. As our listener is my mum, I think we're okay. Right. 

If they're not, what we can do is we can sort of shrink it down a bit and we can just sort of pare, we can pare it down to just the word ‘dedication’ maybe, and just look at, look at that because it's, it's an interesting word because where it actually comes from is probably not the manner in which we use it today in the context we use it today.  Pray tell me now. 

So it actually goes back to the 14th century, uh, in which is referred to the solemn act of dedicating something such as a calendar day or a church to a deity or to a sacred use. And then centuries later, it came to be used for the act of devoting time and energy to a particular purpose.

And obviously nowadays dedication commonly indicates the quality of being loyal or devoted to a cause, ideal or purpose. So, yeah, it's interesting. Isn't it? That religious thing of, um, I'm going to dedicate this building. I'm gonna dedicate this temple. What would you dedicate? 

Well, how about I dedicate, I dedicate this song to you.

Ah, that's nice. Yeah. I'm actually kind of speechless for once. Cuz I'm like, whoa, Neil Harington you have dedicated yourself to being smart. Read all those big words that came out there. I was like, who is this? 

Actual, actual preparation? 

I've gotta say, didn't go. I didn't go further than page two of Google but I felt that I felt the ambivalent for, I felt the vagueness of pages one and two of Google was more interesting directions than maybe a more analyzed, defined sort of look. 

I think the reason that, that this, uh, particular topic, or, or quote was chosen for our guest is because, um, our friend, uh, has dedicated his life to, to a certain thing. Um, yeah. You know, in same way that I've dedicated my life to, to music and, and kind of, you know, 

Being adorable. 

Uh, yeah, that was the other thing. Those are two things that I dedicated my life to. Um, you know, and, and done that kind of 10,000 hours, um, thing. That's what I think this topic is really about, you know, dedicating and, and not perfecting, I guess, because what is perfection  but actually working in creative sense.

Well, exactly. I mean, it's, it's one man's meat, right? So, um, yeah, but we're always learning. Right. And, and if you, if you are in a particular, uh, place in life, um, you can always learn more, you know, every, every, everyone can always move on forward in, in, in something that they, that they've, uh, that they do.

And so that, that's where I, um, see us going. I think that's a really good point, actually. I hadn't even thought about it, but I suppose my dedication or would be story. In that like, you know, that's, I started acting and that. So you learn a bit story from the top of it really by, you know, presenting it. Then writing. So you start by creating. And now I'm really into the thing about the stories that people are telling, like the, what everybody's transmitting all the time. And I think that is that's that 10,000 hours thing. Yeah. Cause sometimes Mark, when I do like the reading of people, you know, that we will do later on, people will say, oh, oh, is it psychic powers?

Ooh, you, Ooh. And Mark goes, nah, it's just, she's been doing story for years and years. And so she understands the structure and of it. Yeah. It's like, you can pick up a guitar. And do anything really, right? Yeah. And your Neil can make any sound, sound, okey, even us . 

Yeah. That's in dedication. 

When I listen to music, uh, I hear the chords and I can, I can kind of feel where, where the structure is going and I, and I can feel yeah. Where the melody can go and, and wouldn't go, you know? And when you listen to people, tell a story, you, you see, uh, what's actually going on inside their head, you know, because you've been, you've been doing it for so long and you're so good at it because of that. Yeah. 

Aw, you are adorable. Know, I know adorable. I, I'm quite excited about this guest. There really am. I feel like the story that he's been presented as often is completely not the story as to who he really is. Right. That often he's portrayed as somebody that he's not. So I'm excited about seeing him today.

 Okay. Chesney. Are you ready for this? You have what? Neil's really been like he's taken, you know what? Neil's like, you know what Neil's like Chesney, if you say something to him, he can't put the f’ker down. He will like study. Dog with a bone. He totally is. So, because you said smart, right? Because you said smart. Neil’s been getting.. like that whole quote about dedication. That's not the only smart thing he's doing. I'm feeling there's more, there's more to come, but I'm excited. Right? And you ready, Neil, here's your moment.

Would you like a counter? How about a drum roll? Set up to fail or what? Do know what I mean?  Most of you will know our guest today from Strictly Come Dancing and more recently Dancing On Ice. In fact, he just generally represents the word dancing. He is focused. He is handsome, athletic smart. In fact, if he wasn't such a nice guy we'd f’ing hate him.

I am of course, talking about New Zealand born charmer Brendan Cole, ladies and gentleman. 

What an intro! Crikey I aint worthy. 

Hey, you know what? I think you missed out though. I have to say, I think you missed out swarthy. Swarthy. There's something about you, Brendan Cole that's a little, yeah, you're a little piratey.

Do you know? I think he's a little bit piratey. I'm like, he's like a dancing pirate Brendan Cole. I'll take it. Cause you've got that glint in your eye and they like the whole squash buckling thing. 

I'm sure you've been called worse. You've definitely been called worse much, much.  

Now for you listeners. Um, this is, Brenda's one of my, uh, one of my mates I'm bringing into as, as one of our first guests on series three and, um, cheer three. Yeah, we've known each other for a while now. Haven't we mate? Uh, we many years we first met, uh, we did a super car challenge, uh, from London to down to Le Mans.

Oh, awesome. We did the most ridiculous thing out of nowhere that came this challenge to drive Supercars all the way across France to go to Le Mans. Why, why would you say no? 

Why would you say no? 

Right. That's exactly why you're in showbiz. That's what it's for few perks that come our way. Exactly. We stayed in castles and I took my, my father-in-law with me, George. 

That's right. 

Who I'm sure be sending his love right now. And we hung out with Joe Swash in a castle in somewhere in just south of Paris. And anyway, we had a good time and, uh, yeah, we we've been mates ever since that we met me indeed. Uh, what a lovely memory actually. Um, one of, one of the finest. 

So, uh, yes. And here we are. What? 10 years later? 15 years later, I do even know how many years later. 

It probably is like 15. I know that sounds crazy, but you know, kind of crazy. Yeah. Well, you went, you went off and had a load of kids in the meantime, didn't you? 

Yeah, just a couple. 

So Chesney had this idea when he is not driving about in, in super cars.  He had this idea that he wanted to make series three. Over a podcast, a bit smarter, like we should be brainier right. Which is why we have you brainy and, and swarthy. 

I'm not sure. I'm not sure you hit the money right on the head, but we'll give it a whirl. 

Chesney's plan was that we would discuss a, a topic or a quote. And the one that he thought would be right for you is the quote. You probably don't remember record breakers. You might have been in New Zealand at the time, but it was Roy Castle saying, uh, dedication is what you need. Because he feels that dedication is kind of something that you personify. 

Thank you very much. I think that's, that's fair. Yeah. Thank you. Dedication for me is… To succeed in life, you need dedication. To succeed in anything, whether it be a relationship or, or work. Or's something you are, you're driven by passion, um, fuels that dedication. And without it, you, you you'd have to be a very lucky individual to succeed.

Um, so, so yes, dedication is something I've always tried to throw into whatever I'm focused on at that, at what any given moment. Um, 

Well, you must be really good at it. I tell you why, because we were talking about you before, in a lovely way except the guys were a bit jealous of your swarthiness, which was like, he didn't mention it.

Right. But that what they were, what they were discussing was that like how, as a little kid in New Zealand, Right. Do you go, you know what? I think what I want to do is I'm going to be… Also like I'm going, I'm a male, a little boy in New Zealand. What I'm gonna do is I'm going to. I think I'm gonna be well known as being a magic dancer.  

That takes a bit of pizzaz, courage. 

Um, they possibly should have locked me up at some point along the way and had me examined. It's a, it's a very weird thing to do. And when I look back at how my career developed and, um, one of the things that fueled my, my passion, if you. Was actually, it was almost the adversity of, of what I was doing and, and having people almost take the Mickey out of me for being a dancer. 

Cause my mother wanted us to dance. My, my brother, sister, and, and I, we,she wanted us all to dance. And so we did, didn't love it at first, but it became something that we just, we just never stopped. You know, whether like football year, you hang up the boots at the end of the season. Eventually, maybe you might not go back but dancing never stops. So we just continued on this path of being, uh, dancers. And then, and then the bug gets you and you go, do you know what? I'm actually quite good at this. I can make this a career, but the more people told me that I was ridiculous. And you know, the girls blouse and, and all the other, uh, things that you used to call people back in the, those days. Um, the more people said it, the more I went, dear, alright, let's go. I'm gonna, I'm gonna push. And I'm gonna pushing, I push. 

It's a Billy Elliot story in a way, isn't it. 

A little bit yeah, it's, it is kind of weird. It's when I look back and think, goodness, me. I'm a ballroom dancer. It's a very odd thing to, how did I, how did I get here?

Yeah, yeah, exactly. But determination was a massive, um, factor in that. And, and actually just the, the step of being an 18 year old actually came over to the UK to do a, um, to do a world championship, uh, representing the country. I mean, it wasn't anything exciting, but it was exciting for me. I'd say that's exciting partner at that time.

Well, you know, it was in the world of ballroom dance, going over to do a ballroom dancing championship. It's, it's an odd thing to, to travel the world for. Um, so I had this opportunity to do it. And part of that journey was I came to London. And London at the time, it's not anymore but at the time, it was very much the home of ballroom and latin dancing. And all the, all the people that were amazing within the field, like the world champions, the, all the big judges, the people you saw on the video tapes back then. They were the ones that you looked up to from little old New Zealand, because you didn't get really get the coaching there. So you were studying the videos and going, okay, this is what I have to do. To walk into this studio in south London one particular day, and see, not only the world champions, practicing who were absolute icons, 15 year, 15 times world champions.

Um, but all the people that were up against them and, and dedicated people going, healthly that basically, uh, on this, on this journey to try and be, be number one. To try and be the world champions themselves, or get close to and try and make a career out of ballroom dancing. And there was a big career to be had out of ballroom dancing, believe it or not.

Um, so, and I, I walked into this place and I, I had this like epiphany moment where went.  I need a piece. I need a piece of this. I want to be part of this scene. And I set myself a target to be back before my 19th birthday. Uh, and I turned 18 whilst I was there. So, uh, I moved back. Virtually, a year later I went home. Uh, I, I actually crashed my car, wrote off my car. Got the insurance, had a thousand pounds from the insurance  and, uh, and, uh, the rest of history a one way ticket. See you later, mum. Sorry. Thanks for, thanks for raising me all these years. I'm off. Which I feel so bad about. Cause imagine. I've never thought. My children, my daughter's nine. My, my son's four. At some point, they're gonna leave me and go to the other side of the world. 

S’what just happened to me Brendan, I've got an 18 old daughter who's now moved, just moved to Scotland. Uh, you know, she's studying in at St. Andrew's University. 

Oh my goodness. 

But that's what, that's something I, I, for me, I think that's the, the greatest compliment as a parent though, is that you've, that you've raised them. So to a point where they're will, they're, they're happy to go out into the world, you know? Yeah. And, and you obviously were ready. You were cooked, you know, you were, the bell had gone.

I was bursting at the seems to, to get out. Um, and it's it, it's, it's a very, very strange thing to do. I'm off, I'm off, off to study ballroom dancing on the other side of the world. Uh, I possibly won't be back. 

Yeah. And, uh, and yeah, the rest is actually history, but that's a good, we've got the subject of dedication today. That is something very apt that age, Brendan, is it, you've gotta be really dedicated at that age to go and pursue something like that. 

Yeah. And fearless in a, in a way you, you can't have the, the a minute, a minute of fear will stop you in your tracks, worrying about what, what might be around the corner.

And I think you're either the, a person who, um, accepts a challenge, walks through the walks through the door that is presented to you, or you stop at that door and go, do you know, I'm not ready to go through this door at this time. And, and that's, uh, true of life everywhere you go. Every, every turn you make could be a different direction your life takes. Whether it be meeting your future partner or, you know, um, moving to a different city or a different country, all of these opportunities, a different job comes your way. 

Do I take it? 

It's gonna take me outta my comfort zone. 

I'm not going to do that. 

That is the excitement of life. 

And, and one very much that has been missed in the last few years with, with all the, all the political, um, stuff that's been going on the lockdowns and what have you to have opportunities now. I dunno about you lot, but I I'm gagging for opportunities and every single one of them are gonna be walking through that door, uh, because it it's exciting. 

It it's a just say yes, moment. 

Exactly. 

Someone as swarthy as you, Brendan, is what they you want to say you're gagging for opportunities, our lady listeners and gentleman listeners out there.

Listeners will be like, Ouucht!  I have an opportunity for… 

Don't make me laugh. I'm getting over... 

But like one of the things that I find so very interesting about you is that I feel that you certainly, when you joined Strictly it brought personality to ballroom dancing. Like not only were you like a dancer and people are like, oh, oh, that's swarthy guy, but they, you became the guy who had personality. And sometimes they were like, well, he’s got too much personality. He should just wear a lovely outfit and be pretty.

It's, it's a very interesting situation that because you either make a name for yourself or you fade into background and, and eventually dwindle out. I probably went, I probably went too far in the, I mean, I was, I was young, I was 28, quite a macho kind of character wanted didn't wanna be seen as a sissy dancer. Um, that's all gone away now. I'm quite happy to be seen as a sissy dancer and, and…

You’ve always loved sequens 

…to prove exactly. 

And listen, put an outfit on me. I had photo shoot this this morning for a, for a gig that I've got at the end of the year. And I, it was a, it was, it was a full, full outfit. Um, and I loved it, you know, give me a bit of makeup and a wig. Let's go. 

See. Fantastic.  

Yeah. Um, but at the time I was, I was really, really wanted to prove myself, um, to anybody watching that, um, that I wasn't gay first of all. My brother's gay. Um, and I had a, I suppose I had a thing about that where I didn't want to be seen. I love my brother and, and very much, uh, respect his, his, his gayness, but I didn't wanna be seen as the same as him. And he was a dancer. So I had to separate myself from that. Yeah, it was that young adolescent stupidity, I guess.

Um, whereas now I don't, I don't give it a thought. And, uh, I think I was, I was trying to prove by being this character, um, that's softened over the years, thankfully. Uh, and some people loved it and some people absolutely hated it. 

In fact, um, one of the, one of the heads of, of entertainment at, the BBC. Uh, she was a bit of a fan of mine. She, we, anytime we spoke, she was like, I love what you do. Just keep on going, keep on going. And she said to me, uh, you'll always have a place on the show as long as I'm here. And I was like, oh great. Thank you very much. And, uh, about, about two years before I left Strictly, um, uh, she came up to me at the wrap party and said, oh, Brendan, listen, let me say goodbye. I'm I'm actually leaving the BBC I'm  I'm uh, I've I've got this new opportunity I'm gonna take. And I went, oh, sh , oh my goodness. My days are numbered. And they were, um, because you know, depending on who's in power, uh, you're either liked or hated. And, uh, unfortunately the other person that was in power didn't like me as much as she did.

Um, so it's one of those, one of those things, it gets you a certain way, but you've gotta, you've gotta check yourself every now and then. And, and thankfully I'm a very well well-rounded individual at this 45 turning 46 in a few days, uh, stage of my life. 

Yeah. So if we take the real Brendan Cole and the Brendan Cole that has to go out there and put the number on and put the makeup on and put the, and do that. How much of a different person, is that how much of a difference is there between those two? 

I'd say showbiz Brendan is a, probably a 20, 20 to 30% more extroverted. Yeah. Um, when I'm on a stage, I walk on the stage and I make sure that I only own the stage, uh, regardless of who else is on it. Um, there's a persona that certainly comes out. 

It has, hopefully he has a little bit of charm. 

He has a, a bit of funniness and, and, and. And as with it is  and, and perfection to detail, you know, I, I, I very much want what I'm doing at any given moment to be seen as extremely good if it can be. Yeah. Um, whereas at hope my home life I'm, I'm certainly not as, as bolshie as that.

And I'm certainly not as, I don't believe in myself as much as when I'm on a stage. Um, but I think you've got to have that to, to, to enable yourself to, to exceed, uh, to, to excel in that environment. Uh, I mean, you know Ches, if you walk out on that stage. 

People are going, “Right entertain me. What have you got?”

Yeah. And the moment you show, show weakness, or you may as well go. 

Oh God, forget it. Yeah, of course you, you have to have that. And, and I think, you know, with you being, uh, you know, used to being on stage and me being used to being on stage, I, I can completely and utterly relate to that. There's like a, it is another persona in a way, but, but then you have to bring yourself to it.

Because, you know, people have to, to like you, you know what I mean? 

Do they do, oh 

God bless ya. Uh, but like, so when I'm on stage now yes, there is that kind of 30% of I've gotta up this because I'm entertaining people here. Yeah. Um, but then I always bring me like my personality, you know what I mean? So I, you know, so

 It has to be you.

Yeah. And I remember my dad saying from an early age, like, you know, just pretend that that the people in the crowd are like your friends that are just sitting in your living. And, you know, and then you'd be okay, you'd be fine because, because they have to relate to you as a person. 

Absolutely. Yeah. The beauty also about being on a stage is that generally, unless you are there as a, as, as something that's not part of, what's actually going on, then you're just sort of there as a fill or whatever.  Yeah. Um, that people are there to see you. They want to see what you've got to offer. And that's a beautiful feeling. That's a, that's a magical feeling. I, I toured the, the UK and Ireland for, um, over 10 years with my own, uh, theatre productions. I've done five different productions. And, uh, I finished the, the last one in March, 2020 just before all the, all the lockdowns were yeah. 19…20. Um, and yeah, it was, it was, um, something that I.  I, it, it defined me as a, as a person and as an entertainer to actually have to produce my own show, uh, create it, um, cast it, costume, do all those things that, that it takes to put on a, a good production. And when I, when I watched it, um, back from the side and saw, saw my dancers doing what they're doing and, and the feeling I got from walking on that stage is the best feeling I can. I can. It's it's like being your own rockstar. I know it's not, you're entertaining a thousand odd people, 1500 people. But, but to me that was, it was worth every bit of heartache and, and, and sweat to get to that moment. And people are there to see, see, 

Sounds like dedication to me. 

Dedication 

Absolutely 

Loved it.

One of the things that we were talking about, there is this story that people have of you and the story of who you are. Right? So like the person you are on stage and the person that you who you are, and that's sort of my area. Yeah. Which is that. Uh, so Neil is Mr. Sound, if you need sound he's sound right?

Yeah. Yeah. And Chesney, if you need music. Oh. There's music and the adorability there, but I work in story. 

Right. 

So I was wondering if I could do a little story with you. 

Oh, go, go on then. 

Well, how it works don't you dare do that. So

what it is is, um, I listen to the stories that people are telling, like the, the stories that people say and what is underneath it. Mm-hmm . So I'm gonna ask you to tell me a story for two minutes. Okay. I'll tell you what the story is. So you don't have to panic. Not that you panic anyway, it's just not your thing.

No. You do not panic. It doesn't work in, it's not a Pirate's Way, it's, it's not a Pirate's way. And I will, and I will write it down. I'll write stuff down. Okay. And then after that, I'll tell you what a hear are you up for it? No, I'm up for it. Let's do it. Awesome. Right. Okay. I'm gonna set a little timer here.

So for two minutes, I would like you to tell me the story of your name. Are you ready? 

The story of my name. Okay. 

You're ready. Go. Yes. 

The story of my name, Brendan Cole. Well, I was almost Christopher Cole and I heard a, a chap on the radio call, Christopher Cole, and I pictured myself being Christopher Cole and it didn't quite suit. I don't love my name. Brendan. It's certainly not showbiz friendly. Uh, but my mom wanted me to be called Brendan because it was a name within her family. Uh, I have a, or she has cousins, uh, cousin called Brendan, and I think it was handed down from there. The name Cole, uh, my, all of my roots are actually Scottish, um, from, uh, way up in Aberdeen, uh, right down and also, um, sort of, uh, north north of England Newcastle way as well.

Um, but ultimately, uh, Scottish and Cole, uh, was my father's name and his father's before him and his father's for him. So I guess that was handed down. Um, I like the name Cole. It feels strong to me. Uh, I don't mind hearing it when people call my name and, uh, Brendan I could deal with that. I wish I'd thought of it much, much better stage name when I went into chops in 2004, but I didn't cuz I was naive and silly.

Uh, how's that is that two minutes. Do you want more? 

No. 53 seconds. You've got to go. 

Righty. Oh, you're running out it that easily. 

No. Um, Brendan Cole, uh, dear, it's a weird thing. Your name, obviously your parents want to call their children's names. Um, uh, for me it was really important to name my children something that I thought they were gonna love. I'm not sure my mum thought it through when she thought of Brendan. Um, I, I, I don't see it as such a, a great name. Um, but I think the fact that she loves it and the fact that she wanted to, to give it to me, um, I, she loves it. Um, so I suppose that's a really important thing, even though I did leave her when I was 18.

Um, I don't know what else I'm supposed to say about my name. I don't really like it. If I loved it, I'd sit here and tell you how cool I am, but I'm not. Um, tell me it's a minute half. 

There you go. You've done it. Brendan Cole! 

Well done mate. 

Sorry to put you on the spot there, mate. 

Thank you. All right. That's all right. 

You know, though, I love you more Brendan Cole. So the story of your name is how you see yourself, right? 

Oh, right. 

And yeah. And, um, The you are very much a you, I don't want to talk about how I feel, but I'll show you how I feel. 

Okay. 

Like, you'll know how I feel by how I show you. Mm-hmm  and also you don't really like talking about yourself at all.

Right?  Just ask me to do something. I will do it. 

Yeah. 

Do not ask me to talk about myself. Don't like it very much. 

No. 

So it's it's you know, and also, oh, what I should say about this is, um, you are totally free to disagree with this. This is not like Mystic Meg or whatever. So if I say something and it's rubbish, you can go that's rubbish.

Okay. 

I'm swarthy. Shut up. You can say that. We'd be good. 

All right. 

Um, so what is in your name is about, uh, the sound of you and what comes through is about, um, how much you love your mum, even though she, um, it's not that she doesn't understand you, but you feel very responsible for her like that you would hate to hurt her feelings.

Yes.

And family, my little friend. I'm glad you found a lovely wife and had children, cuz family matters. Everything. Yes. And that's everything, doesn't it? Yes, it does. It's like the lineage and being a good guy and show that you're a good guy and, uh, display who you are in actions. Don't just say you're going do something. If you're gonna do something, do it.

Yes. Right. 

Do it, then talk about it. Don't talk about it and never do it. Does that make sense? 

Makes sense. 

Does that sound like the story of you? 

It sounds like very much the story of me. Yeah. I, I'm a changed man from when have we all are. Once we have children, everything becomes focused on them. And actually all my behavior, both, both onscreen and offscreen changed the moment I had children. Uh, changed a little bit once I had a wife, uh, lovely Zoe, but then once, once you have children, then, then it's really important that you are whatever you are portraying, whatever you are putting forward has to be something that is never gonna embarrass them or, or lessen their life, I suppose.

So, uh, that was a nice thing to have happened in one's life. And we will feel it, I think. 

See in your story, I think you were like that before.  Like, cuz what the, what in someone's story comes through is the sound of who they are. And I think that actually that the, this thing in you of don't just talk about it, do it is why you, uh, as a young boy in New Zealand were like, okay, I'm gonna do this.

Yeah. 

 And also early on, there's a thing about you talk about the Christopher Cole on the radio that I think from quite early on, you knew you weren't gonna stay in New Zealand. You were like, this is these people here are good, but this isn't where I belong. I belong somewhere over there. And that's where I'm going.

And sometimes when people are all about action, then it can be misinterpreted as ego. 

Yes. Very much so. 

Yeah. 

But like, you really are just a guy who does stuff. It's like, literally, I, I sort of think I'd like to have you round the house, except if I said, uh, Brendan lets have a cup of tea. Uh, I'm thinking of digging up that part of the garden. It would be dug up before the tea was made. Do you know what I mean? 

That's true. 

I think I, I like you even more than your swarthiness. 

Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Yes,

I wonder it. No, I was just gonna wonder if dedication came naturally to you then, do you feel that dedication was a natural thing like to this doing? 

Yes. Um, A lot to do with her. I think a lot to do with my father not really being around much when we were kids, um, uh. He left. Mum and dad split up when I was six going on seven. Around about the same times I started dancing weirdly. Um, the thing with him not being around there was no father figure on a day to day basis, you know? And, and he had have us every, every few days and then every few days became a weekend and then it became every second weekend and all that kind of thing. Mm-hmm , he just, wasn't a great, he wasn't a great dad.

He was still my mate. So that's all good. And right up until when he passed away, 12, 13 years ago, we were, we were great friends. He was my dad, but we were, we were much more mates. Um, and the fact that he wasn't around, I wanted to fill that role. I was really important to me. I wanted to, I wanted to do everything.

I'll do it, mom. I. I'll do it. Mum. I wish my children would be a bit more like that. 

They will. They'll get there mate. They're young. 

Seriously, could somebody please put their own stuff away?  

That comes later, 

Please. Honestly. So, uh, yeah, I, I have very strong memories of, of all of that kind of thing and wanting, wanting to be the man of the house. Mm-hmm  even at a silly age of like seven, eight, um, nine, when I  even possible to be the man of the house and, and even went to the point where, uh, my mom's now husband, but her boyfriend, uh, when I was about 15, he came in. Oh, Brendan did not like this.  just popped out. I mean, we had a proper, proper, he was the most lovely guy. Uh, I couldn't wish for a bit better fella for my mum. We had a proper punch up in the, in the, in the, in the driveway, just purely cause we could not, he, he could not tolerate me and I could not tolerate him. 

I think he went easy on me. I was only 15. He could have probably pounded the hell outta him.  but, uh, yeah, it's, it's one of those, one of those things I wanted to be, I wanted to be old before my time I wanted to do everything.  I wanted to conquer everything I wanted to make, make the surroundings, um, better. And I wanted to be the best at whatever I did. Not at the detriment of somebody else, but for my own personal, if this is my task, this is I will, I will be the best at that. I can be.

You said something earlier on that kind of struck with me, we, you said that as long as passion is behind it, um, you know, the dedication will, will follow, you know, and yeah, and I think that's very, very, uh, apparent with you, you know, you, if you're passionate about something, you are gonna go to absolutely the ends of the earth to make sure that you you've got it right. You know, which is why it felt so good for you to, um, you know, create your own show and, uh, and you know, to sit back and watch, um, what you've achieved, uh, and the crowd to love it. And, and you know, that, that pride has come through from your passion for what you do. 

I, the passion for me is I, I guess every everything that is in my life I am passionate about. Yeah. And things that I'm not passionate about, they tend to just dwindle way. Yeah. Um, is the most amazing thing about doing the, uh, the dancing ice, um, that I've just finished doing. Yeah. Um, to be able to dedicate six months of my life, um, with absolute passion and wish with absolute determination, knowing that eventually after the first three weeks where I was rubbish, once I found that little bit of a, oh, well, hang on, I've got this, um, to be able to then try and exceed or, or try and excel at that, uh, at that thing and, and be taken on the journey with the most amazing partner of Vanessa Bauer, she was insanely good. And, and a, the perfect partner for me to have that momentum and to have that passion. I mean, I'm, I prop it's only been a couple of three weeks since, since we finished, I prop I properly miss it. Um, because it was, it was, it was my passion. 

Well, Brendan and I, I can, I can relate to this as you know, I did Dancing On Ice and I absolutely, but I, I , my story's not quite as, as, as celebrated as yours unfortunately. 

We've all got different journeys. 

But I, but I understand what you're saying. Cause I had an amazing partner in Jodeyne Higgins. She's so amazing and such a lovely girl. And we got on like a house and fire and we, and we gelled and we did really well, but I had the same thing. Like, you know, it's a four months of training beforehand. Uh, and then you go into the show. Yeah. So I dedicated, and you can't do anything else. Can you, Brandan? It's like, it's all in all consuming. I mean, you know, I couldn't even think about writing the songs or, or, or, or like, you know, gigs and stuff. I did a couple of gigs in that time, but I remember thinking I don't wanna do this I'd rather be on the ice. And I absolutely fell in love with ice skating. The dancing side, yeah, not so much, cuz I, I think I'm a bit of a two left feet. The a would've been the art would've been, uh, definitely apparent I think, but my story is I, I broke my, uh, leg literally three days before the first show and I didn't get to actually, Uh, perform, which was, I was gutted. 

The thought is horrific mate. Uh, that thought of, of get doing all the four months, like you say, four months of training to get to that point. And then, yeah, it's gone. Sorry, you you're off. 

Uh there's and, and also the other thing that happened was I got, I had, I was like Jodeyne at that point was like family to me. And like, you know, Krissy, my wife got on really well with her and her husband, uh, Sean, good stuff. And yeah, I know it was great. I mean, we, we really, really got on, but then see what happened with is when soon as I I'm out, you know, Chico took over. And so I had to watch Chico, you know, take my place and dance with, with Jodeyne.

And it was really hard. It was tough. 

That is harsh. That is really harsh. Well, I midway through my, um, my stint on the show I had, um, Vanessa had had a positive, um, test, so she had to sit out a week and, uh, I had the option of dancing with another girl. One of the other pros, Robin, I just, I said, absolutely not. I won't, I won't do it. I can't dance with another woman in front of my Vanessa. Yeah. Just cause, cause it's, it's it's you invest too much time with them and, and it would've felt like cheating in a, in a very weird way. Not in a sexual way. She was half my age, but just that, that feeling of. Uh, no, I can't do it, but I said, however, um, I'm happy to dance with, with Brendan. I did a, the, you know, a male male sort of number and I loved it. It was powerful that exciting. Oh, that really, that was a great fix for that situation, right? It, it was the perfect fix. It was the perfect moment. Um, I felt sorry. She, Vanessa still struggled to watch it, but she was, I I'd imagine it would've been much harder if it had, have been say Robin.

Yeah. Isn't it funny how, I mean, you, you and I have that kind of celebrity thing where now, and again, we, we go and do things that are not our thing. Like, you know, I've done master chef, I've done. I did like the games, which is like, you know, Olympic disciplines and stuff like that. 

Absolutely. 

Isn't it amazing how you can find yeah. How you can find something, uh, you know, in a stage of our life like this, where you, you get the opportunity to work with these incredible people like you do in Dancing On Ice and, and fall in love with something. Like yeah. You know, almost think, oh, this, this could have been a path for me, you know, it's like, yeah. You know, absolutely like what I absolutely loved it, you know? Um, but yeah, it's, I just, I love that part of it. And, and just the fact that you have to dedicate your time to it because, you know, you've got like some, it's like a ticking clock coming down, like to, when you're gonna start, uh, you know, uh, performing in front of millions of people, you know, 

that's, that's a very weird thing actually throughout, throughout the show, because it's only a 10 week show. I mean, I was used to doing sort of 15 weeks, uh, on strictly and did it for so many years. Mm-hmm  um, it was one of those things that once it was on, it was like ticking. It was, it was gonna end. And I, I, I felt like I was good enough to hopefully get somewhere towards the end. I wasn't hopefully gonna go out in the, in the first few weeks. Um, so I had that feeling of I've only got maybe only last another 4, 5, 6, At the maximum 10 weeks and, and it's all over, but bear in mind, you've already done three, four months of training before this point. Um, so it was a very, very weird feeling as we went through the, through the thing and especially for the, from the semi-final into the final. I mean, I so relieved to make that the final, because it was a, we did, we did two, two couples got eliminated from the semifinal into the final, and then there was a two week or a week break between the semifinal and the final and, uh, To, to miss out on the, on the final would've been devastating. I wasn't really thinking about winning it. I never really did. I always sort of knew that Reagan was gonna win it. So it was one of those things of, of please let me make the final. And that, that I've just devoted at that 5 and a half months of my life to this. I want to be there for that end came first. 

Was it interesting for you that the fact that like, obviously you've been involved in Strictly Come Dancing and you are the professional dancer? Um, it was it a very, very different feeling to be on the other shoe, if you know what I mean? Like, so you are now the contestant, uh, and you have a professional dancer with you. 

It's it was weird. I had to check myself quite a lot because there were so many times I, I, I, I had, I have strong feelings when it comes to performing.

No funny  yeah. 

Weird. And then the amount of times, um, let's say Vanessa would say, I'd like to do this here and I'd. Yeah, but that doesn't, that doesn't fit the music. , I mean, she's thankfully few and far between cause she's a great choreographer and she does actually listen to music unlike quite a few ice skaters. Um, but so we were a great partnership for each other. Once she understood where I was coming from, we ended up collaborating on, on the choreography quite a lot. Uh, obviously she knows all the skating, um, side of things and the, the different things we can do. But from my point of view, it was all about the musicality, for instance, our Bolero, for the, for the last number she wanted to do one particular thing. And I just said, listen, keep, give me an opportunity to show you something that I've been thinking about. And, and that was what we ended up doing for the actual number we like where I was. I pushed her across the ice and we were on an knee. She pushed me across the ice and I, we had this developing feeling and then the whole routine developed from that one little moment where we created together. And that made it really special for me, cuz I don't think I could have just been a bystander and okay. This is the choreography that you've told me I'm doing. So we'll do it, which it was for the first few weeks obviously. Cause I didn't really, I didn't push that, that boundary too much.

I was, as I said to, when we first met, what if you. I'm gonna, you want me to do, I will do it and you won't get any arguments from me. That was, that was shortlived you've taken that back. Yeah. I, I was perhaps premature on that, but at the same time, I had 15 years of experience on Strictly where, um, I had partners that, that were just a nightmare to, to work with a nightmare, to, to, to coach and perform with.

And I didn't want to be that for my partner. I wanted her to, to love that's me to work a bit, someone that came from a dance background sometimes. Yeah.  sure. But dance background without the mouth, would've been better for her. But, um, she, she admitted to me at the end that she actually quite loved it. She quite liked it because it actually challenged her and made her think a lot more than she's used to.

And, and, and she said she grew from the experience. So that that's a, that's a positive, I think

You being involved in Strictly for 16 years and then doing Dancing On Ice too. Um, can you see those contestants that don't have the dedication and passion? 

Oh, a a mile away. A mile away. 

Yeah. And you know, they're not gonna get far. 

Yeah. And it's not even about getting far or not getting far it's. Like all you really want in that situation is your partner, whoever they are to walk in and go, right I am here and I'm excited about it. What can we do? And then hopefully they've got, you know, a small amount of ability, which you can then work with. And if, if you only make week five or week four, but they've dedicated their life and they've, they've, they've given it all. They've got you're, you're a happy, you're a happy pro essentially.

Um, give me somebody that walks in and goes, I don't wanna do this. Uh, I'm not interested. Uh, I'm just here to get the fame. I'm here to get the fortune, whatever, then that, that makes a, that makes the job absolutely vile and, and of my 15 series that I had, um, the, I had a good handful of people they were like that and it was soul destroying and I hated it.

I hated every second of them. I had one partner that said, said to me, um, on day two, listen, I don't wanna learn any of that that shit you you're teaching me. Um, just teach, teach me the steps. I'll take care of the rest. And I went, oh, okay dokey. 

So how did you respond to that? 

Um, well let's just say she didn't, she didn't, uh, she wasn't, she, she got a bit of a wrath.

I, I, I tried to be, I tried to, you've gotta try and do it diplomatically because, because you you've gotta spend, I mean, we spent. How far did we go on the show? We went seven weeks. I'm talking about Lulu, by the way. I, I I'm quite happy to say it. Um, say it, she was an absolute bitch. Um, she says the same about me, so I don't care.

um, uh, we, we spent, I think we went seven weeks or eight weeks on the show, plus the three or four weeks of training before mm-hmm  um, and it you've gotta spend, you dedicate six, seven hours a day in the same room with somebody. It just doesn't, it, it can't work. Yeah. You've got to, you've gotta have respect for your partner.

And she had no respect for me. I mean, the first thing she said on the show, when we got partner together was oh, no, not him. 

Oh goodness sake. 

Jesus lady. I didn't fancy you either. You but you know, it was such, always made most of it. 

I think my dad had an affair with Lulu back in the sixties. 

Yes, 

no, really? 

That they're all coming out. I think we've got more than one listener now. You know, when we started, we weren't, we weren't shocked. We thought it was probably just, 

you know, we've not just got my Mum. We now got my dad  

And no, your mom stopped listening

On that bomb shell. Where do we go from there? Lynn, you had a question. Did not know. I, well, actually I was gonna ask him the same question you did, but in another way round, which shows that we are in sync. mind melding. No, the thing with you is that focus like this thing of doing stuff. Uh, and, and, and, um, and what's interesting and lovely about you is that you want to do things that are. The, when you get annoyed is when it's not the positive outcome. And you're like, oh, come on. We should be doing this. And it should be positive. Absolutely. I wondered if you hadn't found dancing. Uh, what would, what, is there something else that you think you would've done? Would you have built bridges or something like that or got into politics or something?

Uh, Jesus with the current state of politics, I wish I had, I'd sack them all. 

Yeah. Be easy. Wouldn't it? 

But, uh, yeah, exactly. Um, now the, I would actually, I would've gone into building, I left school at 16 to build houses or to furnish houses, um, and, and eventually build houses. Um, because I loved working with my hands.

I like the creative side of it. I loved working with wood, uh, in New Zealand. We, you know, you do everything, you dig the foundations, you tie the steel, you pour the foundations, you pore the floor, you put up the, the wooden walls, there's, you know, the sub walls. Um, you put the roof on all of that kind of thing. So the only thing you don't really do are the electrics and the, you know, the proper trades. 

Um, can I just say that at this moment in time, I don't feel very Butch  

I don’t feel very butch or handy.

I feel very butch.

If it helps I also made dresses at some point in my life.

That does help

Ying and yang. 

 That doesn't surprise me that you would've done building though, because if there was a thing sort of a word within story that I would use for you would be about construction. That is about the building of, or the making of things that we are not there before.

Yeah. Right. 

So there's an empty space and now I'm making this thing. 

Yeah. Creatively, you, you can do things in all, you know, we, we, I'm lucky. I, I get to create on a stage and, and, and have an audience enjoy, hopefully what, what I do, but creatively, you can, you can put up a structure, you can, uh, you can put a flower bed and you can do all these sorts of things.

And I love, I love, I just love working for my hands. Um, so yeah, that's always been something I've done when I was a kid. We didn't have much money, so, um, but I loved, I loved building. So I used to take the, the hammer, whip the nails out of the walls of the garage and, and whack them together and whack two pieces of woods together, just cause I loved creating something.

So I mean the, so it’s a wonder the garage didn't the garage didn't fall apart.  Exactly. 

Why is the garage on a lean? Not me, 

but I do have this amazing axe. 

Yes, yes, exactly. Exactly. I was always making something. Um, so I, I think I was, I was destined to go into something of that field, uh, and I'd love to build my own house at one point in, 

Have you got the man shed? Have you, have you got the, have you got tools? Have you got all the gear? Is it on all on the wall? Everything labeled. 

I've got all the gear and no idea idea.  and it sequence, I love it's got tools, got sequence on it. I went to a tool shop today because I had to buy a, a, a, um, a driller and I could have walked down there around there for an hour.

Just, just gazing at the different things going. Oh, that's lovely. Yeah. You've got the tools and the outfits  yeah. 

Yeah. I can see a routine coming on with power tools though.

Brendan. One of the, the things we do in this, in this lovely podcast is we ask our guests for a song, um, It has some kind of emotional connection for them, either happy or sad memories or, uh, or just something that, uh, makes 'em feel, you know? Um, yeah. And then I, uh, I take that song and, uh, recreate my own little version here in my, my little studio, uh, as a little gift for our guests.

So, um, so tell us, tell us the song that, uh, that you chose, 

uh, song I'd. I'm very excited to hear what you've done. Something with, uh, is Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton. Um, which for me, um, firstly Chris Stapleton got just the most phenomenal power behind his, his voice. And I love country. I've always been a, a fan of, of that kind of country sound.

Um, not the old stuff like Johnny Cash and my view, but the, the, the more the, the newer country, I just, I just love what I find it really exciting to listen to. Um, so, uh, this particular song, I actually, uh, I mean, my wife and both love it. Um, it's one of those, the things that when it comes on, we both smile each other that, that kind of thing.

Yeah. Um, and she actually suggested that I do it in my, one of my tours. It was one of those things. I said, that's a great challenge. So I learned the song on the guitar, um, whilst, and so then I, within my shows, I've between 10 and 14 musicians. Um, so the guitarists came down and played alongside me. So I wasn't flying solo.

And then my, my singers, Ian and Jenna they'd come. And so the four of us sat on these stools and played this particular song, mid show. And it's something very different that the audience weren't really expecting. And, uh, yeah, a lovely moment in the show show. I'm very excited to see what you've done now.

I've gotta live up to your version. 

Yeah, no pressure. Just for you. Brendan Cole, we have Chesney Hawkes singing Tennessee whiskey. 

{Chesney performs}

Just for you. Brandan Cole, Chas Hawk, performing Tennessee Whiskey. Beautiful. And a round of applause from my wife as well. 

It's a lovely moment, just watching you two enjoy that. It was really nice. Yeah. 

Lovely to see Zoe, please send my love. 

I will. I will do cheers. I will do.

Um, mate, thank you so much for that. It's really beautiful. Really beautiful. Um, it's, it's a, it's a stunning song and a gorgeous tradition. 

Thank you. I love the simplicity of that song. It's like. One of the things about doing this show is that, you know, every, every show I have to recreate a song, and this is, I think like a 22nd song I've had to do so far, something like that.

That's right. And first is probably more actually, but anyway, um,  is it, you know, deconstructing a, a song. I mean, this one's pretty simple as it, as it is, but like, you have to kind of cut it right back. And I, and I always make sure that it's like, literally just me and a guitar or me and a piano, just like really simplify it.

But this one just works because it's just so simple and so beautiful and lyrically just great. But I have to say his vocal is just insane. I mean, he has such an amazingly powerful soulful voice, like, and you, I, I watch versions of him playing it live as well, and he, God, he's talented. 

Oh yeah, shit. Did you see the, um, the, uh, what was it, the, the, um, the musical awards, uh, where with Justin Timberlake?

No, I haven't seen that. 

Did you watch that one? What is it? The, um, the VMAs, the, the no CMA, the CMAs country music awards, right? Watch that version. There's a seven minute version. They do two songs back the back. Justin Timberlake. I will definitely it's. It's out of this world. You just, you just wanna be on that stage. It's it's it's phenomenal. Um, so yeah. Lovely, lovely song. Um, a beautiful, thank you mate. That's awesome. I know. 

You're totally welcome. That's that's all for you. I'll send you a copy, 

please, please, please. 

I was going to, uh, ask one last question. Good. Right, right, right. That currently in the world, in the crazy mixed up world that we live in.

Mm it's. Uh, one of the things that I think people are struggling with is a lack of focus, right. Is knowing what to connect to and how to join anything. Um, it's, it's almost an impossible question, but I feel like a swarthy pirate dancer such as yourself, will be able, I should say, swarthy pirate dancer to collector builder as yourself should be able to answer it, which is, um, Eh, if you don't have dedication, do you think there's a way that you can find it? How do you find so something to be dedicated to? 

I actually think it's really tricky in today's world that we're living in right now. Uh, especially for the last, you know, whatever's been building whatever, they're do whatever they're up to. Um, for the last couple of three years, I think it's really hard to find focus.

I'm struggling myself because everywhere I turn, I feel like there's a, there's a, almost a, a wall, um, taxes paying too much in tax, uh, cost of living going up. Um, everybody is everybody's struggling. Um, myself included, I, I make no bones about it. You know, the cost of living is, is huge. Um, and so they get to find that motivation where, where you feel like you're being battered from, from every everywhere you turn, you're being, you're being either battered or, or the government just taking loads of loads of your money away for, for no particular reason.

Um, so I find that really tricky, but I, I, I guess it's like everything you take one step to. Um, you know, once you've taken one step, you can take another step. And once you take it third step, you know, and you, you build, uh, maybe, maybe for, for many, the thought of the, the 50 steps they've gotta get to before they can reach a certain point is too much.

But one step is not too much for, for most two steps might be a push, but we, you keep on building and, and like anything let's say, let's say you wanna put a show together. You don't start off by going, okay, we're gonna put a show together. Here's everything you need. Mm-hmm  you start off and you go, right.

How many people, uh, where are we going? 

Break it down. 

What kind of, what kind of music you break it down and you, you, you take you tick one box every day. Um, and I think it's the same for, for life and, and everything. We do. You tick, you, you try and find a couple of things that you need to tick off. And if you can, you can achieve them, achieve them, achieve them.

Then, then hopefully, um, you become closer to that goal. Um, and if, if, if your goal takes you a year or five years, As long as you're trying to achieve it. Um, you know, sometimes this is the problem. Sometimes goals are too big and, and they're too far away. Uh, and it's too hard to get there. And, and especially in the last few years for, for many people, um, so much has been taken from us that how the hell to achieve that I've, you know, all these things, you've, you've, we've all worked for a whole lives. Uh, for me, I'm a, I'm a middle-aged 46 year old fella. Um, and, and I was going places. And then all of a sudden, you know, you take a couple years away from that and you've gotta, you start again from scratch. And it's really hard.

It's, it's really hard to find that motivation because cuz that, that motivation has, has actually been squashed. Yeah. Um, so one step at a time. 

No, I agree. I'm more worried about like kids, my kids' age, you know, because finding that motivation for them in particular right now is so hard. Oh boy. And I, you know, I, I had a conversation with my oldest the other day and you know, he feels a little bit stuck and doesn't quite know, you know, where he wants to go. But like, you know, I said to him, just put one foot forward.  And if you put one foot forward, then maybe you'll think about putting another foot forward and then you'll gain momentum. 

It really is. And, and, and when you're having those difficult times, motivation is at, at its very lowest and, and I. Listen, I've to, I'll tell you, I'll tell you a little story.

Um, when Dancing On Ice came along, uh, for me, which is we're going back to maybe middle of last year, at that point, I hadn't had a, a gig in a year and a bit. Um, and it was, you know, things were tough financially and, and emotionally more, more so than anything because I was actually, I was, I was, I became just a, a, I became a dad, um, a full-time dad doing the school run every morning, every afternoon, dropping them at the party, drop them here, drop them here, go and pick up the shop and cook the meals.

And, and I had a real lack of, of motivation to even, to even think about what, what project can I, can I find what, where can I go from, from here? Because it seemed like everything was, it was kind of pointless, especially that time theaters weren't open, uh, um, nothing, the television weren't really booking.

I, I live in Mallorca. Um, I'm not there now. I'm in England at the moment, but, um, we had, I had this real low. Low point. And when Dancing On Ice came along, it was almost like a, it was like a, a lifeline. Um, here you go. Do you wanna do this? Absolutely. Give me the skates. I wanna start now. Um, and so for me, that was my, it was, it was a real, a real chance for me, I suppose.

Um, and for through, through that, the, my motivation grew back, even though the government still wanted lots of money from me and, and they, you know, they're making, living almost impossible. Um, I have that motivation back to go, right. What's my next thing. I'm gonna go and take it now, you know, I'm back in the game I'm back in the game.

Yeah. Um, so for many people, many people that don't have that they don't have that right I'm back in the game. So I'm, I'm very lucky. Um, but I know a lot of people out there will, will have had those same feelings that I had, um, this time last year. And they'll still be in that feeling of depression and, and, and how do I get myself out of that?

One step at a time, make a small goal. 

It's there's a nice phrase for it, actually. I think from you, which is it's one step to begin the dance baby. 

That sounds like a song title to me.

Oh, Chesney’s like write it down. 

Uh, Brenda Cole, you have been a joy. What? A little joy you are. You swarthy tool belted pirate you. 

I was happy to be asked and happy to accept. Thank you very, very much. 

Thank you so much for coming on Brendan. Now it's, so's so good to see you. And I know that we have been absolutely rubbish at, uh, seeing each other. We we'd have to 

Long distance relationship. My friend, it's a long distance relationship, but we like it. It's okay. 

Yeah, we do. And I still love you. And, and Zoe, of course, and I can't wait to meet your kiddos. 

Absolutely. Uh, well, my, um, a pleasure. Thank you very, very much love to Krissy and the kids 

say, Brendan, thank you so much for for taking the time. Thank you. It's been a pleasure to have you Brendan  Cole on our podcast.

Thank you. Well, there you go, I told you chairs, one of the nicest guys in show business right? 

Beautiful man. He really is. And I, I just spending that time with him there makes me realize that I've been stupid and not seeing him more. He's lovely. 

Yeah. 

He's and so is Zoe, his wife is so gorgeous and so lovely.

Um, you know, so yeah. I'm glad you guys got to spend some time with him. 

Yeah, it was really enjoyable. Sorry, Lynn. 

No, I just, I was gonna say, I think that I really, um, I felt like I understood him cuz he, um, he's been painted as being like sort of demanding and bad tempered. All sorts of things have been said about him. And so when you said like, uh, Brendan's coming on, I was like, oh, he's, he's swarthy. 

He's gonna be feisty!  

Right. But actually you can totally see his point. Like he wants good stuff to happen. That's what he wants. He doesn't wanna faff about and waste time. He wants. To build when he said he would yeah. It's roles.

But when he said he would be a builder, I was like, of course you would be a builder. Of course you would be, 

Well, you said it first. That's what I loved about that. Lynn, you said, would you have been a builder? And he was like, yes, you are Mystic Meg!

What a lovely guy. 

It was lovely to talk about our topic, our word of the, the show. Wasn't it. Dedication. 

Yeah. We really covered it. 

So what do you feel that you've learned about dedication? Do you think you, you think about, I mean, obviously you've learned more than the rest of us, Neil, because you've been looking up the Wikipedia, but  

no, I think it's quite simple.

I think obviously, um, Brendan's childhood affected him and that he, he decided he was gonna roll his sleeves up and, um, and make things happen and do stuff. And, and that was his role. And I think it was probably it's born into you. Probably. What, what, what happened to him as a child it was formed and he just became someone that if you, if, if you need shit done, you either need a Lynn. Right? 

Why me? 

Or maybe you need a Brendan  

I don't get shit done. I make Mark get it done. I'm like Mark, I need things. 

Yeah. Do you know what I always used to say, my old boss bless her Carol Humphrey. She's a woman in a man's world. And I always used to say, if you want shit done, ask Carol, she will get shit done. And she did. And now we add Brendan Cole to that list of people.

He inspired me. Actually, I felt like I saw the passion in him when, when he talked about his show, um, and putting it all together and sitting back and watching it and the pride that was, you know, bubbling up and you could see it in his eyes.

Um, and then he, he had the same thing. Yeah. Talking. Uh, power tools and, and like wanting to build a house, you know, it's inspiring, you know, it made me want to work with him, you know, it's like, oh, I, I felt like, kind of jumping and said, oh Brennan, should we do something together? Should we, uh, should we do a show together? Got a leaf blower? I wanna dig a hole with you.

Well, in essence getting them to do this podcast is a little bit like digging a hole. Right. Isn't it? Yeah. It's like, come and be in the hole of our podcast. I feel brainier after, uh, this podcast and I feel, uh, more inspired about people. That's what I feel. 

Yeah, me too. Me, me too. 

I feel like, um, the people are quietly trying to do good stuff.

Um, while I'm here with my chickens and my bees in the world, 

well, you're doing good stuff there. That's all, that's all good stuff. Yeah. 

You're just doing, you're doing chicken and bee good stuff. Yeah. Yes. So I think all that, uh, remains to say is, thank you very much listener for listening. We really appreciate that you've stuck with this till the very end. 

So I've been Ferguson. 

I've been Harrington. 

I know I've been Hawkes and we will see you next time. 

Woo Hoo. 

Caio Caio everyone byebye. 

You've been listening to Ferguson, Harrington, Hawkes with Lynn Ferguson, Neil Harrington and Chesney Hawkes.

Written and produced for Sauce productions by surprise, surprise Lynn Ferguson, Neil Harrington, and Chesney Hawkes.