James Jordan has sparked debate after describing the recent culling of several professional dancers from Strictly Come Dancing as "getting rid of dead wood".
His comments follow a significant shake-up for the BBC series, which saw hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announce their departure last year, alongside the confirmation that professional dancers Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas would not be returning.
Jordan, who was a professional dancer on Strictly from 2006 until 2013, asserted that a shake-up was "needed".
Speaking to the Press Association, he reflected on the nature of the show: "When you join Strictly, you’re taking someone’s job, OK? And people forget that because they’re on the show, but then when they’re asked to leave, and then they’re replaced, they’re only worried about that."
He continued: "But they forget at some point, they took someone’s job. It’s just showbiz, that’s what it is. Enjoy it for what it is – it is a juggernaut of a show, and it was an honour for all of us to be part of it for so many years. But you have to remember that it will come to an end at some point, and all this controversy around, ‘oh, they’re changing so many of the pros’… it needed a shakeup. Some of the pros have been on there for 14 years… dead wood… get rid of them and bring someone younger in, in my opinion."
However, fellow former Strictly professional Ian Waite offered a contrasting view on the specific dancers let go, stating: "In my opinion, they got rid of the wrong ones." While acknowledging the need for change, he added: "All the professional dancers are amazing in their own right, but you can’t stay on there forever. At some point, you have to give the younger ones a chance, because there’s so many amazing dancers out there."
Jordan went further, suggesting that the cuts could have extended to the judging panel. "I believed the cuts could have gone further and they could have got rid of some of the judges as well," he said. He criticised the show's current tone, remarking: "It’s all got nicey-nicey now, isn’t it? It’s all politically correct, and ‘you can’t say this, and you can’t say that’. You can’t be negative because they’re (the contestants) are gonna cry. It’s a dance show. You need that baddie… but even Craig (Revel Horwood) now is kind of toned down a lot."
He expressed a desire for the "reality" of the series to be more visible to viewers. "It’s all like everyone loves everyone, and we’re all one big happy family. That’s not life, that’s not real life. I want to see how hard they’re working in the training room. I want to see the tears. I think that’s the magic that needs to come back." Jordan himself departed Strictly after declining an offer for a reduced role that would not have included a celebrity partnership.
With Daly and Winkleman's exits, the new hosting line-up will feature Emma Willis, dancer Johannes Radebe, and comedian Josh Widdicombe. Jordan praised Willis as "absolutely amazing" but reserved judgment on the other two, having not seen them present before. He admitted: "I would have preferred someone like Bradley Walsh or Vernon Kay, or someone like that, because they’re tried and tested. But at the same time, sometimes you got to take risks, and I’m not going to say it’s not good, because I haven’t seen it until I see it."
Later this year, Jordan will reunite with Waite and other former Strictly professionals Brendan Cole, Pasha Kovalev, and Vincent Simone for their new dance show, Vegas: After Hours. Waite was on Strictly from 2004 to 2010, Cole from 2004 to 2017, Kovalev from 2011 to 2018, and Simone from 2006 to 2012. The production aims to capture the essence of Sin City with routines set to a soundtrack inspired by Las Vegas performers.
Jordan explained that following their previous tours, Legends Of The Dance Floor in 2024 and The Return Of The Legends last year, they were approached to do another show with the "old geriatrics from Strictly". Waite light-heartedly added that their request for a "research purposes" trip to Vegas was denied due to financial constraints. "They said they couldn’t afford James’s casino bills and Vincent’s drinks bill," he quipped.
Jordan highlighted what he believes sets their tour apart: "These guys are amazing and inspire me every single day that I watch them on stage. They’re all so different and so brilliant at what they do, but I think what separates our tour from any other Strictly tour is the realism in between with the chat, the camaraderie between us, and the fact that we take the mickey out of each other." He concluded: "If we were still working for the BBC, we wouldn’t be able to say some of these things… but it’s all very real and honest and funny."
The 30-date tour commences in Fareham on 3 October and concludes in Cardiff on 8 November. Tickets are currently available through venues, Ticketmaster, and www.legendsofthedancefloor.com.
