‘Strictly Come Dancing’ professional Brendan Cole has assured fans he is very much alive and well, after one report claimed he had died.
The dancer, who has been battling a lung infection, was “horrified” to learn a website had run a story stating he’d passed away in the early hours of Thursday (20 October) morning.
Taking to Twitter after seeing the report, Brendan wrote: “Ok…Very disturbing..I have just been informed that I am dead! Horrified & bemused about the @CNN reporting this!
“Ps…I’m very much still alive! Holy Shit! Cnn-channel very wrong on this report thank goodness! @CNN @cnnbrk.”
Brendan revealed he had pulled out of training with dance partner Anastacia earlier this week, while he recovers from his lung infection.
He has been replaced by Gorka Marquez as the US singer prepares to perform a Quickstep to ‘My Kinda Town’ by Frank Sinatra on Saturday’s show.
Speaking on ‘It Takes Two’ on Tuesday, he said: “I don’t know how happy I am about it - he’s Spanish, he’s good looking and has a body which is pretty much the best on the show.”
BBC bosses have since confirmed Brendan is not well enough to perform this weekend, tweeting:
The Kiwi professional, who has been with the show since it began in 2004, was rushed to hospital last Saturday morning, after finding it difficult to breathe.
Brendan still performed the rumba on last week’s show, although he seemed more out of breath than usual by the time they finished.
‘Strictly Come Dancing’ continues on Saturday at 6.35pm on BBC One.
