James Jordan 'growing closer' to dancer Polina Mayer after split

James Jordan has grown close to fellow dancer Polina Mayer following his separation from wife Ola Jordan, his spokesperson has confirmed.

The former Strictly Come Dancing star, 48, announced his split from Ola, his wife of 26 years, in August. The couple released a joint statement confirming their break-up, saying: "We're taking some time apart as we work through very difficult personal challenges. James moved out of the family home some time ago. This has been an incredibly painful and emotional journey for us both and it certainly wasn't an easy decision."

Growing close to Polina Mayer

Sources have revealed that James has grown close to Russian-born dancer Polina Mayer, 34. The pair have appeared in numerous dance videos together on their social media, particularly during rehearsals for their tour, The Legends in Vegas: After Hours. The show also features other former Strictly stars, including Brendan Cole, Pasha Kovalev and Ian Waite.

The dancers grew closer after separating from their respective partners. A spokesperson for James told Express.co.uk: "I can confirm that James and Polina have grown closer in recent weeks since separating from their respective partners."

Marriage split details

In the joint statement, James and Ola said James's mental health "hasn't been in a good place for quite some time". James added: "I've been struggling more than I've let people see and I'm taking the time I need to focus on getting myself into a healthier place, both for myself and for Ella. Neither of us is in a good place right now. We're both doing our best to navigate one of the hardest chapters of our lives."

The professional dancers, who share daughter Ella, are living apart. According to earlier reports, things changed between the couple following the death of James's father, Allan Jordan, who died on March 13, 2021, aged 67, after a battle with a stage-four brain tumour.