Former Strictly star James Jordan has warned television bosses that if they keep ticking boxes then there will be no white, heterosexual men on our screens any more.
In a blistering attack on the showbusiness industry’s pledge to become more diverse, Jordan also said there needs to be an end to all female presenting duos – such as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman who host the BBC One dance show he starred on for seven years between 2006 and 2013.
The ballroom dancer’s comments came after he was asked who should present ITV skating show Dancing On Ice – which he won in 2019 – alongside Holly Willoughby when she returns to it next year without Phillip Schofield – and insisted he must be a man.
When asked if the ITV dance show should follow in Strictly Come Dancing’s footsteps by having two female presenters at the helm, Jordan replied: ‘No! Stop trying to tick boxes all the time. Have a man and a woman present Dancing On Ice.
‘I like to see men present as well otherwise we’re going to see no white, heterosexual men on TV any more.’
James Jordan launched a blistering attack on the showbusiness industry’s pledge to become more diverse
Pictured: On Strictly in 2011 alongside fellow-professional dancer wife Ola Jordan
Jordan also said there needs to be an end to all female presenting duos – such as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman who host the BBC One dance show he starred on for seven years between 2006 and 2013
Jordan now hopes that either The Chase host Bradley Walsh, dancer Jordan Banjo or radio DJ Vernon Kay replace Schofield.
As well as Ms Daly, 54, and Ms Winkleman, 51, Ms Willoughby has also teamed up with her female colleagues to present This Morning.
In March she presented alongside Alison Hammond, 48, and Josie Gibson, 38, who joined her earlier this month for her first day back after a two-week break following Schofield’s departure from the show.
Ms Hammond and Ms Gibson have also hosted the ITV daytime show together. And on Good Morning Britain, Kate Garraway, 56, has anchored with both Ranvir Singh, 45, and Charlotte Hawkins, 48.
Jordan, 45, also revealed that he fell out of love with dancing as he grieved the loss of his father Allan who died in March 2021 aged 67 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.
He says he suffered from ‘brain fog’ as well as lack of motivation during the pandemic which resulted in him putting on five stone in weight.
Admitting that he ‘hated’ his appearance, he and wife Ola – also a former Strictly professional dancer – launched a fitness website Dance Shred which combines learning how to dance with functional training, and together they lost a staggering six-and-a-half stone. Mrs Jordan, 40, dropped from a size 14 to an 8 in just four months.
It has been such a success that they are launching a new four-week program to Dance Shred this week, which is a condensed workout for those looking to lose weight in a short period.
The ballroom dancer’s comments came after he was asked who should present ITV skating show Dancing On Ice alongside Holly Willoughby when she returns to it next year without Phillip Schofield – and insisted he must be a man
He won the ITV competition in 2019 alongside professional partner Alexandra Schauman
Jordan, 45, also revealed that he fell out of love with dancing as he grieved the loss of his father Allan who died in March 2021. Pictured: Dancing on Strictly with Denise Van Outen in 2012
The plan involves learning the samba alongside either lower, upper or core exercises to give their existing VIP subscribers and new joiners a full body workout.
James explained: ‘The salsa is one of the more popular dances. We have put this together a four-week plan, rather than 6 or 12 weeks because everyone at some point books a last-minute holiday and realises they only have four weeks or a social event, wedding, it gives you four weeks to smash it.
‘Before we were doing functional exercises with the steps but now, we’re doing a salsa leg workout, a salsa upper body workout and a salsa core workout, which is three routines.
‘Dance Shred was never going to be anything to make a quick buck. We believe in it, and we want to help people and we’re going to keep creating more content.’
Since January, when James and Ola announced their new business venture, which now has over 5,000 members, they have maintained their slimmed down bodies and say Dance Shred enables them to live a life they enjoy while still focussing on their fitness goals.
Ola said: ‘Seeing my new body, I want to go out and dress up more but that means eating in restaurants and enjoying alcohol here and there.
‘I feel like I have found my balance in doing Dance Shred and sticking to my diet in the week. I want to enjoy an ice cream with my daughter. I don’t want to be the mummy not having ice cream, I want to have it with her. I want to show her that I still eat and enjoy myself. It’s about finding the right balance.’
James added: ‘I can see Ola is happier, she dresses differently, and I can see that she likes wearing her old clothes that had been gathering dust.
‘I’ve got clothes upstairs now that I need to throw away because they are so big on me. Anyone that has lost weight can relate to that feeling of elation when you fit back in a pair of jeans that you haven’t worn for many years because you were too big to get into them.
‘It’s not about how you look but your appearance will make you feel much better… it’s about being healthier and that’s the key thing. I’m all for body positivity and people feeling good in their skin but I’m a massive advocate for being healthy.’