BBC Strictly star lifts lid on brutal Strictly cull as dancers summoned ‘one by one’ to learn their fate: ‘A bit weird!’
James Jordan, who spent seven years as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, has disclosed that BBC producers once summoned the show’s pros individually during a live tour to deliver the news on whether they had a future on the programme.
Reflecting on the latest round of departures, which saw five new professionals drafted in for the current series, Mr Jordan insisted such sweeping clear-outs were far from unprecedented.
He described the mid-tour cull as particularly uncomfortable for all involved.
“Back in my day, I remember we were on tour, and they called us into the office one by one on tour in front of the producers and told you whether you were coming back or you weren’t coming back the next year,” the dancer told The Express.
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“This was on a Strictly professional tour halfway through. They brought us in to say whether or not we were back for the next series.
“People like Ian Waite, Darren Bennett, Brian Fortuna, Lilia Kopylova – there were at least six of them who didn’t come back.”
The experience left him feeling uneasy.
“So then you come out in the room, and you’ve been asked back, but you don’t want to show how happy you are because some of your friends are not going to be back there next year.
The 48-year-old spent seven years as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing
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“So, I just thought that was a bit weird,” he said.
Despite the discomfort, Mr Jordan argued that periodic shake-ups are essential for the programme’s longevity.
He pointed to his close friend Brendan Cole as a case in point: “He did 15 years on the show. Get rid of him. Get some fresh blood in there,” he said.
Mr Jordan was equally enthusiastic about newer talent joining the roster.
The former Strictly professional recalled how dancers were summoned individually by BBC bosses during a live tour
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“Like last year, they brought on Alexis [Warr], the new girl. I thought she was absolutely amazing, a brilliant addition to Strictly.
“So you have to know when to step aside and let someone else come in and take over.”
Dancers who outstay their welcome, he suggested, risk becoming “dead wood.”
The incident Mr Jordan described took place in 2010, when the BBC informed several dancers that a format overhaul would reduce the number of celebrity pairings.
Rather than losing their spots entirely, the veteran professionals were offered places in a newly created dance troupe, which meant performing without being paired with celebrity contestants.
The majority of those affected opted to walk away rather than accept the diminished role.
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Darren Bennett, a fixture on the show for six series between 2004 and 2009, initially agreed to join the new troupe but ultimately departed as well.
Mr Bennett, who is married to fellow departed pro Lilia Kopylova, has since carved out a career behind the scenes as a consultant creative producer on Dancing With the Stars Ireland.
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