Strictly Come Dancing couple James and Ola Jordan have reportedly split after 22 years of marriage and 27 years together. After first meeting in 1999 and getting engaged in 2001, the professional dancers wed in 2003.
Three years later, they became household names when they joined the BBC One show. James enjoyed 10 years on Strictly before saying goodbye to the ballroom for good in 2013. Then, in 2015, Ola followed in her husband's footsteps and left the show amid a string of controversies — she publicly claimed the show's scoring was "fixed" by judges, and there were reports of friction with producers.
Following the couple's Strictly departure, they went on to welcome their daughter, Ella, in 2020 via IVF following a three-year fertility battle. Upon announcing their pregnancy on Instagram, Ola gushed that she and James were "both so excited to add a little munchkin into [their] family," and that she knew her husband would be the "best daddy ever."
Since Strictly, the couple have remained in the public eye, with Ola sharing much of her life with her 331K Instagram followers.
However, James and Ola's friend and manager Vickie White has now confirmed the news of the split. She said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that I can confirm that James and Ola began a trial separation some time ago.
"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."
While many will have found this news unexpected, there were actually several clues that the pair had broken up:
Missing wedding ring
Ola regularly posts on Instagram, but in content dating all the way back to 2025, she seems to have removed her wedding ring.
But until now, fans have failed to pick up on its absence.
No social media posts of James
Again, Ola's Instagram provides clues that she and James are no longer together. Her feed is dedicated to work, travel, glam hair transformations and, of course, photos and footage of her spending time with Ella.
In fact, the last time the pair were seen together on Instagram was in April 2025, when James and Jordan shared a collaborative throwback video of them on Strictly together. Posted on International Dance Day, they captioned: "A blast from the past for International Dance Day 💃🕺12 years ago!!!! 🤯 And my last year on Strictly."
Meanwhile, on James' Instagram account, where he boasts 261K followers, there's no evidence of the couple together.
Instead, it's similar work shots — from stints on Lorraine and Vanessa Feltz's show — to sweet father-daughter content with Ella.
However, there is a pinned post from 2024 of the former couple promoting their fitness company, Dance Shred.
Zero business updates
Speaking of Dance Shred, the business' Instagram page hasn't been updated since July 2025, when Ola shared a video of her making a high-protein omelette. Previously, the couple would share videos of them dancing with Ella, and post dance challenges to their grid.
No family photos
Finally, eagle-eyed fans will have noticed that in a recent home decor reveal posted by Ola, there are no family photos of the three together.
Just last month, Ola shared her guest bedroom transformation, which she called "one of the prettiest rooms in the house."
However, while there was a framed photo of Ola and Ella together, pictures of James were nowhere to be seen.
Following the split, a source also told The Sun that it's "been a huge shock to their friends and family because they always seemed like such a solid couple. But they know in the long run it is the right decision."
The insider continued: "They have been together for almost 30 years and while they love and care for each other, things have changed. James hasn't been in a good place for quite a while now and things came to a head recently.
"They've had some open and honest discussions about their future over the past few months and have now decided that the best option is for them to separate."
