Fiona Phillips has admitted she regrets ever taking part in Strictly Come Dancing, as she spoke out about her feud with former professional partner Brendan Cole.

The former GMTV presenter was one of the first stars to ever take part in Strictly, signing up for the third series in 2005.

In the years since, she has revealed that she and Brendan didn’t exactly get on behind the scenes, and in a new interview with The Mirror, claimed she “should never have done it”. 

“Even as a teenager I hated getting on the dance floor,” she said.

“I felt so self-conscious, but I thought, ‘I will have a professional dancer and it’s a nice programme’.

“But Brendan is a rough old taskmaster and really wanted to be number one or nothing. I just wasn’t very good.”

She added: “I became a comedy type figure. I’m not glad I did it, but it was an experience.”

Fiona and Brendan eventually became the fourth couple to be eliminated from the competition. 

Last year, Fiona said she thought Brendan being axed from the show in 2018 was “karma”, claiming: “Brendan was a real bugger, actually. He wasn’t very nice. He was really naughty.

“He’s not on the show now. Karma indeed. It works its way every time.”

Since being let go by Strictly, Brendan has taken part in a number of stage productions and has also become a father for the first time with wife Zoe. 

He also made a memorable appearance on The X Factor: Celebrity with Jeremy Edwards in 2019.