Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan has broken his silence on the backlash facing new host Josh Widdicombe, saying the current presenting set-up "doesn't really work".
The comedian, who appears alongside Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe, faced scrutiny from fans following the first live show on September 26. Speaking to Express.co.uk on behalf of WhichBingo, the trusted guide to Bingo sites, the 48-year-old admitted the trio's dynamic is not working at present.
James Jordan's advice for Josh Widdicombe
"So I'm not saying anything that the majority of people don't think. It doesn't really work," he told Express.co.uk. "The difference between Emma and the other two was huge, in my opinion. So it's not working at the moment, but given time, maybe it will. It's a really hard one."
When asked where Josh would be best placed in the presenting roles, the dancer confessed that he would be ideal in the 'Clauditorium'. "I think maybe he'd be better in Claudia's room, yeah," he admitted. "I don't think Johannes is maybe the right character to be there. You need someone that's quick and witty and can react to certain things, instead of saying 'my darling' all the time."
Social media break and criticism advice
"I just didn't feel that he's the right fit for that position. I think there's too many. It was confusing having three of them. I thought it was going to be maybe done in a clever way. I didn't feel it was. I just think they've got it wrong, unfortunately," he added.
It comes after Josh Widdicombe took a break from social media this week following the wave of backlash he received online. James shared some advice on how to handle criticism while taking part on the show: "I feel sorry for them, but you're going to get judged no matter what you do, aren't you? If you go and do something and you put yourself in the entertainment world, whatever you do, you're going to get criticism."
"You need to learn how to take that and kind of brush it off and either crack on and get better at it, or if you don't like it, just step away from social media. If it's affecting you, and as long as people aren't trolling him and bullying him — but who wouldn't want to take the position," he concluded.
