James and Ola Jordan unite amidst bullying row

Former Strictly Come Dancing professionals James Jordan and his wife Ola put on a united front as they emerged for the first time since being pulled into the scandal.

The couple appeared completely unfazed as they stepped out with their daughter Ella in Kent on Wednesday.

James, 46, was embroiled in the drama when it unearthed footage come out of him telling his former partner Georgina Bouzova he would ‘drag her across the floor and scream at her’ if she forgot her moves in 2006.

It was then reported his wife Ola’s, 41, previous partner Steve Backshall complained to the BBC that she had ‘bullied’ him when they starred together in 2014.

But brushing off the recent allegations, Ola and James couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces as they headed out for a morning walk.

The BBC show has faced heaps of ongoing allegations from former contestants, claiming they faced ‘abuse’ in rehearsals on the show.

The misconduct probe first started when Amanda Abbington claimed her partner Giovanni Pernice, 33, left her suffering from PTSD due to his ‘full on’ and ‘bullying’ training methods, which he denies.

Two other former celeb partners have also spoke out about Giovanni, claiming they also suffered off-camera misconduct.

Pro Graziano Di Prima, 30, was later axed from the upcoming series over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year’s competition.

Graziano admitted to the claims and apologised to Zara in a public statement last week. 

James quickly slammed the BBC after the clip began doing the rounds again – saying most of the footage ‘was not related to Georgina at all’.

The clip, which was filmed during the fourth series back in 2006, shows him rehearsing with actress Georgina.

He also says to her ‘kill you’ as he demands she stands on one leg and insists that unless she has physically broken a rib he doesn’t care what pain she is in. He is also seen throwing a chair across the training studio.

Last week, he responded to the clip on his Instagram as he shared a raging statement saying that the footage was ‘edited for entertainment’ and was ‘highly produced and exaggerated’.

He said there ‘is no comparison to be drawn between those awful allegations and the VT’ – while insisting none of his celebrity partners ever complained about him during his eight years on the show. 

James penned in the caption to his post as he shared a snap dancing with Georgina: ‘For those of you who have seen the edited BBC VT of me training with Georgina 18 years ago – yes I had hair once!!

‘But I just wanted to reassure you that footage was shot and edited together by the BBC team for transmission on It Takes Two 18 years ago in specific ways for the purposes of ENTERTAINMENT.

‘Many of the clips were not related to Georgina at all (they are not allowed to do that these days as it misrepresents what actually happened) but were included for the purpose of exaggeration.

‘The BBC thought it would be fun to put this VT together in the way they did. You can see Georgina laughing about it in the studio and in the clips… And I have never received ANY complaints from any of my celebrity dance partners in the 8 years I was on the show.

‘Obviously if I had genuinely upset anyone, that footage would NEVER have been allowed to be used in that way by the BBC themselves. The Producers loved to paint me as the bad guy and I played along…always a perfectionist …but I would never have deliberately upset anyone and pride myself on good friendships with my celebrity dance partners.

‘I strongly suggest that nobody attempts to link this edited BBC VT with the current alleged reports of abusive behaviour taking place behind the scenes by other Strictly professionals.

‘There is no comparison to be drawn between those awful allegations and the highly produced and exaggerated VT from the BBC archives that is featuring on social media. To be clear, I deplore bullying or abusiveness in the workplace.’

James, who left Strictly in 2012 after appearing on eight series, also banned Georgina, who formerly starred on Casualty, from eating sweets and chocolate and would only allow her to buy
pineapple and ham when they visited a supermarket.

The video, which is being shared across social media platform TikTok opens with James telling Georgina that he was a ‘force to be reckoned with’ before ordering her to ‘move that f***ing foot.’

Explaining why he is working the star so hard, he then says: ‘Unless she’s actually physically broken a rib, I don’t care…kill you, stand on your left leg. Unless her feet are bleeding, I don’t care. If they’re sore, dance through it.’

Appearing to be surprised by James’ outbursts, Georgina then asked: ‘I forget, what will you do?’

He replies: ‘I drag you across the floor and then scream at you when get up..’

Later in the clip Jordan tells Georgina that she should lose weight. She told the camera: ‘Basically, he thinks I’m a bit of a porker,’ to which he replied: ‘I said you no chocolate, no crisps. Every time I see you, you’re eating chocolate.’

She then asked if she looks fat to which he said no but when she asked: ‘Do I look like I could do with losing a bit of…’ he replies: ‘Yes.’

Meanwhile, Steve lodged a complaint about Ola in 2014 with the channel after struggling in gruelling practice sessions.

After he made the complaint the pair were assigned a chaperone to follow them around after he refused to be alone with the now 41-year-old Polish-born dancer.

The programme’s bosses were forced to step in after he alleged that she had dented his confidence with her ‘rude and impatient’ manner.

A source close to the show explained at the time: ‘Steve is a very bouncy personality, up for any challenge, but Ola’s harsh treatment has flattened him and made him lose confidence.

‘She was very rude and impatient when he found it difficult to master the shapes for last Saturday’s Charleston.

‘Her choreography and tuition was so tough, Steve resorted to asking other people to show him what he had to do.

‘Ola is a cold and very distant personality, who refuses to mix with Steve’s family and friends,’ the source added.

It is understood that Steve complained directly to one of the Strictly producers after their Halloween-themed Charleston.

Bosses then called Ola in for a meeting and agreed that she and Steve would be accompanied at all times while they remained in the competition.

At the time Steve told how he struggled with the physical demands of the series.

He told the Daily Mail he was unable to point the toes of his left foot because his ankle was fused in a near-fatal climbing accident in 2008.

The action star, who was once bitten by a caiman, a reptile similar to a crocodile, revealed he was in ‘constant pain’ during training and took painkillers every day, adding: ‘It has absolutely broken me.

‘You are training all day long on hard wooden floors wearing dance shoes that have no give in them at all, and no cushioning. The impact travels straight all the way through my body and I’m just falling apart.’

He also complained that the constant training affected his social life, saying: ‘I’m actually a little bit disappointed about the fact I’m supposedly in this incredibly high-profile position and I haven’t even got a minute to see my oldest and dearest friends, let alone to go on a date.

‘So it’s been rubbish for that. My dance partner is very, very happily married, so there is certainly no chance of me getting involved like that.

‘And outside of that, not a chance. I have had zero social life.’

A show insider said at the time: ‘Ola is a strict taskmaster. She sees real potential in Steve and thinks he could go the distance in the competition.

‘She took the trophy with Chris Hollins and would love to win again – and with the mums’ and kids’ votes behind them, Steve is a real contender.’

James took to social media last n ight to make a jibe at the seasoned television explorer Steve after it emerged that he lodged a complaint with the BBC over professional dancer Ola’s ‘rude and impatient manner’. 

Responding to a Strictly fan’s mocking disbelief that the hardened explorer – who has dived with Great White sharks and wrestled poisonous snakes in his career – could be ‘reduced to tears’ by the 5ft4 dancer, James joked ‘please help me!!’