Cole shoulder

STRICTLY Come Dancing romeo Brendan Cole fears he will get the cha-cha-chop from the new series.

He thinks his card is marked because of his antics on the show.

Kiwi Brendan, 33, is known for giving his celebrity partners a tough time.

He slagged off the last series, blaming new judge Alesha Dixon for poor ratings.

He also had a fling with newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky in the first series.

Strictly bosses are rumoured to be looking at changing as many as six professional dancers.

They want to bring over Cheryl Cole's pal Derek Hough from Dancing With The Stars in the US.

Brendan told Five's The Wright Stuff yesterday: "If the rumours are true, not all of us can stay.

"With the trouble I create I do not like my chances."

A source said yesterday that no firm decision had been made about which dancers would return.

But Anton du Beke is favourite for the axe over last year's racism row in which he said partner Laila Rouass looked "like a P***".

Others at risk are husband-and-wife team Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova and Anton's professional partner Erin Boag.

The number of celebrities is expected to be slashed from 16 to 12, cutting the number of professionals needed.