Body language expert Judi James has analyzed the final public appearance of James and Ola Jordan before they announced their split, suggesting the couple may have been hiding their true feelings.
Final Dance Before Split Announcement
Just weeks before confirming their separation after 22 years of marriage, the couple appeared loved-up as they danced at a friend's wedding. The video of their dance has now been scrutinized by Judi James, who believes they could have been masking their emotions.
Professional Masking
Judi explained that professional dancers are trained to hide their feelings, saying: "There are two important factors that add context to the body language in this clip that shows Ola and James in their last sighting before their split: firstly they are at a friend's wedding, which means all negative emotions would be masked to avoid spoiling what should be a blissfully happy day."
She added: "More importantly though, James and Orla are in professional dance mode here as they show off their moves to the entire room. Professional ballroom dancers are not wired like the rest of us in terms of body language language."
"They can smile when their feet are bleeding and they can depict love, passion and romance with partners they hate. I'm sure James and Orla don't have any shred of hatred for each other, but they will both be adept body language maskers."
Hope for Amicable Split
Despite the masked emotions, Judi expressed hope that their comfortable display could indicate they will remain friends. She said: "We shouldn't be confused by the 'happy' and even 'hot' dance routine here between the couple. The fact they even did the dance should tell us, hopefully and thankfully, that they are going to remain 'friends'."
The couple, who met in 1999 and married in 2003, both joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2006. They have described the separation process as "an incredibly painful and emotional journey".
