Strictly Come Dancing has been hit by a fresh scandal after reports emerged of a married celebrity contestant being caught on camera kissing his dance partner. Former professional dancer James Jordan has said the incident does not surprise him, as such things have happened before and will happen again.
Jordan, who was a pro on the show from 2006 to 2014, told The Sun: 'It's not the first time it's happened, and it won't be the last.' He noted that the intense training schedule, often eight to ten hours a day for months, creates a close bond that can lead to romantic entanglements.
The video, allegedly taken backstage at Elstree studios, shows the married celebrity kissing his female dance pro while she sits on his knee. A source said the kiss lasted only seconds but could 'end his marriage and destroy his carefully cultivated family man image.'
Strictly has a history of scandals, including the 'Strictly Curse' affecting relationships like those of Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen, and Katya Jones and Seann Walsh. More recently, investigations into professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano di Prima led to their departures, and there were allegations of cocaine use by two unnamed stars.
Jordan dismissed speculation that the kiss scandal prompted Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman to leave the show, saying it would need to be a much bigger story to cause their exit. He added: 'The strictly curse happened from series one, and it's happened pretty much most years throughout the show's history.'
