James Jordan, a former professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, has spoken out after resurfaced footage from 2006 showed him swearing and making aggressive comments towards his celebrity partner, Georgina Bouzova. The clip, originally aired on the spin-off show It Takes Two, features Jordan saying 'I'll kill you' and 'I'll drag you across the floor then scream at you when we get off'. The footage has gone viral on TikTok, sparking debate about his training methods.
In response, Jordan took to social media to defend himself, claiming the footage was edited by the BBC for 'entertainment' purposes and that many clips were unrelated to Bouzova. He stated: 'I just wanted to reassure you that footage was shot and edited together by the BBC team for transmission on It Takes Two 18 years ago in specific ways for the purposes of ENTERTAINMENT.' He added that he had never received any complaints from his dance partners and that he 'deplores bullying or abusiveness in the workplace'.
The controversy comes as Strictly Come Dancing prepares for its 20th anniversary series, amid a wider scandal involving multiple professional dancers. Two professionals have left the show under a cloud, and reports suggest the BBC is struggling to recruit female celebrities for the upcoming season. Kate Phillips, BBC's director of unscripted, said the corporation takes any reports of inappropriate behaviour 'seriously and will act'.
Meanwhile, judge Anton Du Beke has also been caught up in a legal investigation concerning a racially insensitive remark he made towards his partner in 2009. The BBC has not commented on the specific allegations against Du Beke.
