An Interview With Brendan Cole

Ahead of his turn as baddie Baron Von Bolshoi in one of Yorkshire’s biggest pantos, Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Hull New Theatre, Brendan Cole sat down for a chat with Roger Crow…

Brendan, your character, Baron Von Bolshoi sounds quite hissable.
Aw, he’s a beautiful character. I love playing the baddie. It’s the ultimate role. Don’t tell Goldilocks she hasn’t got the best role. I’ve got it. Definitely.

This story seems less obvious compared to old panto favourites like Cinders.
It’s quite a new thing to have Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It’s not your Cinderella or your Snow White, which have been done for many, many years in very different versions. This is a new concept, and when I first saw the script a couple of years ago for the one I was in previously, I went, ‘Crikey, this is different. I’m not sure how they are going to make this work’. And when you see it come together, it works beautifully. There’s still the magic that you want for pantomime. Which is beautiful.”

You honed your skills on Strictly. What aspects of that show are you able to bring to panto land?
I think you learn people. I feel like I almost became a psychiatrist or psychotherapist being on Strictly, so you learn how to develop situations within the show.

You’re no stranger to the show. What are you looking forward to most when you bring that BVB brilliance to Hull?
There are a couple of numbers within the show which are pretty epic, and I’m looking forward to recreating them again, and bringing a different twist for the Hull audience, and for myself just to keep it fresh.”

It must be great working with the next generation of dancers and performers.
It’s an amazing thing to see; an amazing thing to be part of. I look forward to working with them and seeing what we can all create together for our big number. And just enjoy the experience of being on stage. I’m very proud to be on stage. I’m very lucky to get to do what I do. Pantomime is no different. I get to dance. I get to act. I get to sing. And I get to be horrible. What more could you want?

If you could work with any stage or screen star, other than co-stars Neil Hurst, Jack Land Noble or Sheri Lineham obviously, who would they be and why?
Matthew McConnaughey for me is great. He’s just got that cool southern American accent, it sounds so beautiful.”

You’ve got a bit of a look about him. You could play his younger brother.
If I was better looking and slightly taller. So someone like him would be amazing.

Sheri Lineham as Goldilocks, with the Three Bears

Have you got a dream job, other than playing the Baron of course?
I have many a dream job. I hope I’m always working. I love work. Ultimately I love being on a stage. I’d love to be in a movie at some point. I’m not sure I’ve got the looks or the ability to pull that off but we’ll see.

‘Matthew McConnaughey’s younger brother’. I’ll put it out there.
Thank you. I’ll put it into the universe and see if it comes back.

Aside from hard work, luck, and that magic footwork, what’s the secret of your success?
Perseverance, and that determination to deliver something. I don’t believe anybody gets anywhere without serious mind focus. ‘What do I want out of life, whether it be love, work, hobby?’. Whatever. You’ve got to throw yourself into it. I heard a great quote by somebody who said, ‘Don’t have a Plan B’. All your life you’re told have a Plan B. ‘Always have something else to go to’. Actually no. If you don’t have a Plan B, when Plan A fails, you’ve got nothing. You’ve got to work so hard on Plan A to make it happen. I guess that’s what I did. When I was a youngster and decided to move to the other side of the world when I was 19 to try and follow a dream of being a world championship dancer. It’s such a weird thing when I look back on that. It took absolute dogged determination to do that, and a dream, and you’ve got to have a dream. You’ve got to have a want. You’ve got to have a great network around you to do your thing, but ultimately if you don’t believe that you’re going to make it yourself… self-belief is huge. It’s absolutely massive.

Which answers my next question: ‘What advice would you offer for any aspiring dancers or panto stars?’
If you’re lucky enough to star in a pantomime, it’s the best gig in the world. And it’s weird. When you think of a pantomime, you think. ‘Aw. That a nice thing’. For us who are part of pantomimes… once you know, you know. It’s an amazing thing. And if you can be on a stage delivering something where people walking out of the theatre are warm and they’ve been warmed… it’s always cold at Christmas. You bring families together. It’s a beautiful thing. When my children come to see the show, I couldn’t be prouder than being on a stage and see them see me. My daughter loves being on stage. Actually I think my son will as well. To see them inspired by it and know that you’re inspiring a generation of potential future stage performers. That’s a really beautiful thing.

What’s been the highlight of your career?
That would have to be opening my own show. It was the end of 2009. My first ever production, and my first opening night was the most scary yet rewarding nights of my career… to create a show, produce a show and put it on a stage, and to have a full house of people standing at the end, and enjoying what I had created was THE most magical moment. I’ve had some amazing career highlights from winning Strictly to having moments on Strictly which were just magical with various partners to pantomime. I LOVE being in a pantomime. It’s an absolute honour. If it ever comes to an end I’ll be very sad.

What have you got planned for 2025?
Hopefully more of the same. I’d like to think there will be another pantomime after this wonderful experience of Goldilocks. I’m doing various hosting and dance shows, which I really enjoy. I’d like to think another touring show of my own, maybe towards the back end of next year. Maybe 2026 because it takes a lot to organise.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears is at Hull New Theatre from December 11-31