Rumoured romances, relationship break-downs and answering back to judges – in the early years of Strictly Come Dancing, dancer Brendan Cole earned a reputation he’s been trying to shake off ever since.

The 36-year-old was as well known for his off-screen antics as his on-screen dance moves, the tabloid press linking him to all his dance partners – newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, glamour model Abi Titmuss and former Emmerdale actress Adele Silva.

But there’s a new girl in Brendan’s life, one that’s changed his life forever. His little baby Aurelia was born on Christmas Day last year, and with her arrival comes a change in the bad boy of ballroom.

“Hopefully I don’t have to wear that ridiculous label anymore,“ he says, breaking from rehearsals for his new show License To Thrill. “It’s one of those things, you’re in the public eye in whatever magnitude and you do develop certain reputations because the press want to do that.

“I sat next to a girl at a charity do once and the press reported that I’d been seeing her for three months when I barely spoke to her all night, but hey – if that’s the case that’s the case.“

Now happily married to 31-year-old model wife Zoe Hobbs, “she’s a hot chick, way out of my league“ says Brendan, the New Zealand-born dancing star is getting his priorities in order, starting with hanging up his racing boots.

“I love motor racing and last year I had a 100-miles- an-hour break failure and crashed into a tyre wall,“ says Brendan, “After it happened I was like, whoa! You know what, you don’t have to be doing this crazy stuff – you’ve got a baby girl and a wife to support so sort yourself out!

“I do know responsibility, but it’s a whole ’nother feeling when you have a baby. When you’re young and stupid nothing really matters does it? But you can’t be young and stupid forever.“

Brendan is supporting his new family with his touring show License To Thrill, a Bond-flavoured production featuring a lively romp through the ballroom and Latin repertoire, an all-star cast of dancers and a 14-piece live band. The schedule means he’ll be away from his special ladies for a period – but he’s helping out as much as he can.

“I changed the first ten nappies! I consider myself a very hands-on kind of fella with everything I do anyway. Our fathers’ generation, I suppose, they didn’t do that much when it came to looking after and raising the kids. I want to make sure that that is not the case with me, I want to be there every step of the way.

“I’ve still got to go and do the job and bring home the bacon, but I love the thought of being very much involved.“

He’s a master of the ballroom, but how is he coping with being a parent?

“You stand there and go oh my goodness – what are we going to do now? It’s one of those things, you just keep going and hope for the best. Every child is different and every situation is different, there’s no instruction book, you learn on the job.“

A changed man certainly, but it seems Brendan will always appreciate the beauty of the female form.

“We’ve got new dancers,“ he says, “My girls are just, ha, the girls are phenomenal. Quite, quite captivating when you see them dance. They come out and boy oh boy oh boy!“

Brendan Cole: License To Thrill is at Watford Colosseum on February 9 at 7.30pm. Details: 0845 075 3993