Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Ola Jordan has stated that she is utterly devastated following reports that her estranged husband, James Jordan, is in a relationship with his tour dance partner, Polina Mayer, as HELLO! reported.
The couple announced a trial separation in August, revealing that James, 48, had moved out of the family home they shared with their six-year-old daughter, Ella. Reports surfaced this week alleging an affair between James and Mayer, with whom he performs on The Legends in Vegas: After Hours tour. HELLO! reported that it was Mayer’s husband, dancer Jamie Cutler, who informed Ola of the relationship. Before these events, Ola recently posted a series of cryptic posts about “cheating men” on her Instagram stories, with one reading: “Why Cheat If You Can Just Leave?”.
Responding to the reports, Ola told HELLO!: As a woman you know these things in your gut but now my worst fears have been confirmed, I’m utterly devastated.
She added to The Independent that she lost not just a husband, but her best friend and business partner all in one go, noting that the split was not her decision and came as a shock.
Ola also shared that life has changed in ways I never expected
and that there have been moments this summer when my heart has felt heavier than I ever imagined it could
, adding that I guess I’m just a bit lost.
She noted that the split was not straightforward and had built up over a period of time.
A spokesperson for James Jordan told HELLO!: I can confirm that James and Polina have grown closer in recent weeks since separating from their respective partners.
The spokesperson denied any overlap between the new relationship and James’s marriage.
James also told HELLO! that despite the difficult time, he and Ola remain committed to co-parenting Ella, stating: Despite this difficult time for Ola and myself, we remain committed to co-parenting Ella and looking after her best interests at all times, and we will always work together to ensure her happiness.
The professional dancers met at a dance competition in Poland in 1999, relocated to England, and married in 2003. They became household names in 2006 when they joined the BBC entertainment programme Strictly Come Dancing as professional partners. Ola won the series in 2009 with television personality Chris Hollins, while James competed on the show until 2013.
The couple frequently opened up about their relationship publicly over the years, including their three-year fertility struggle before welcoming Ella via IVF in February 2020. Earlier this year, James appeared on the ITV daytime series This Morning and acknowledged that it had been a tough few years for the pair.
The couple announced their trial separation in August, revealing that James had already moved out of the family home they shared with their daughter.
Polina Mayer is a Russian dancer and James Jordan’s current dance partner on The Legends in Vegas: After Hours tour.
Yes, they share a six-year-old daughter named Ella, who was born in February 2020 following a publicized fertility struggle.
Related reading