Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan has revealed that producers culled dancers without warning in the middle of a tour. Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, the 48-year-old, who appeared on the show from 2006 to 2013, said the recent axings and the five new pros who replaced them on the current season were nothing new.
Mid-Tour Axings Recalled
Jordan recalled an incident during his tenure when several dancers were told they would not be returning while the Strictly professional tour was still underway. "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 if you were coming back or you weren't coming back the next year," he said.
He named Ian Waite, Darren Bennett, Brian Fortuna and Lilia Kopylova among at least six dancers who did not return. "So then you come out in the room, and you've been asked back, and 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. So I just thought that was a bit weird," he added.
Fresh Blood on the Show
Speaking on behalf of Which Bingo, Jordan said a mass cull had happened many times before. He said dancers can become "a little bit like dead wood" after many years, citing Brendan Cole, who did 15 years on the show. "[It's time to] get rid of him. Get some fresh blood in there," he said.
He praised Alexis Warr, who joined last year, calling her "absolutely amazing, a brilliant addition to Strictly." He added: "So you have to know when to step aside and let someone else come in and take over."
2010 Format Change
The cull Jordan referred to came in 2010, when several dancers were told of a format change that cut the number of celebrity pairings. The BBC planned to move some veteran pros into a newly formed professional dance troupe, meaning they would no longer get celebrity partners.
Most of the dancers chose to leave rather than take on the new role. Darren Bennett, who was a pro for six seasons from 2004 until 2009, initially accepted a place in the troupe before leaving. He is married to fellow axed star Lilia Kopylova and now works as a consultant creative producer for Dancing With the Stars Ireland.
