Former Strictly Come Dancing professional James Jordan has called for a major overhaul of the BBC show, urging producers to axe two judges and half of the professional dancers. In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Jordan described the current judging panel as 'too woke' and argued that the programme has become 'a little bit panto'.
Jordan, who appeared on the show from 2006 to 2013, suggested that judges Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke should be removed. He claimed that Horwood, once known for his brutal critiques, has 'lost his harshness', while Du Beke should be moved to a presenting role alongside the recently departed Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Jordan himself offered to replace Du Beke on the panel.
The former dancer also called for half of the professional dancers to be replaced with 'fresh young ones', emphasising the need for 'more British people on the show'. He singled out backstage crew, such as costume designer Vicky Gill and the hair and make-up team, as the only indispensable members of the production.
Jordan's comments come in the wake of several scandals and the shock departure of long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman at the end of the latest series. He warned that the show must avoid becoming a 'box-ticking exercise' when selecting new presenters and urged a return to 'honesty' and 'constructive criticism' from the judges.
