Former Strictly professionals Ola and James Jordan split after 22 years of marriage

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancers Ola and James Jordan have split after 22 years of marriage, it has been confirmed.The couple, who met at a dance competition in 1999, tied the knot in 2003 and share a six-year-old daughter named Ella.A statement from their manager Vickie White said: “It is with great sadness that I can confirm that James and Ola began a trial separation some time ago.Ola Jordan and husband James Jordan have split after 22 years together (Yui Mok/PA)PA Archive“Their shared priority remains co-parenting their daughter, Ella, and they are committed to putting her wellbeing first.“They would greatly appreciate your understanding as they navigate this difficult time.”The couple, both professional ballroom dancers and choreographers, conceived Ella through IVF.She was born in 2020 following a widely publicised three-year fertility struggle.The pair became household names in 2006, when they joined BBC entertainment programme Strictly Come Dancing as professionals.James, 48, featured on the hit show until 2013 and was partnered with stars such as Vanessa Feltz, Alex Jones, Denise Van Outen, and Pamela Stephenson.He has also made TV appearances on celebrity versions of Total Wipeout and Splash!, on reality show Celebrity Big Brother, and was a regular panellist on The Wright Stuff.James also won Dancing On Ice in 2019, competing with Finnish skater Alexandra Schauman.James and Ola Jordan and their daughter Ella (Kieran Cleeves/PA)PA ArchiveOla competed on Strictly until 2015, where she danced with celebrities including DJ Spoony, Sid Owen, Robbie Savage, Steve Backshall and Iwan Thomas.The Polish dancer also won the coveted Glitterball trophy during her tenure on the show, winning alongside TV personality Chris Hollins in 2009.Her other TV appearances include All Star Mr & Mrs, Through The Keyhole, Celebrity Coach Trip and Dancing On Wheels – all with her husband.Ola also competed on ITV reality show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2016 – but was the third star to be voted out of the jungle.Read MoreOla and James have frequently been open about their relationship, including their “heartbreaking” fertility issues and suffering a miscarriage.In an interview with Hello! magazine in 2024, the couple discussed their relationship and Ola admitted it can be “stressful” but said the pair “love each other dearly”, whilst James told of how “marriage can be like a job sometimes”.“I feel sometimes people are quick to give up on something and think the grass is always greener on the other side,” he added.