Ola Jordan Says James Jordan Split Left Her Devastated as New Relationship Emerges
Ola Jordan says she was blindsided by the end of her 22-year marriage. James’s spokesperson says his relationship with Polina Mayer began after both couples separated.
Ola Jordan says the end of her marriage to James Jordan left her grieving not only her husband but also her closest friend and business partner. The Strictly Come Dancing professional says she was shocked by the separation, and that learning of James’s reported new relationship deepened the pain.
Ola and James began dating in 1999 and married in 2003. They announced their split in August after 22 years of marriage, following a period apart. Ola joined Strictly in 2006 and left the show in 2015. Their separation, she told HELLO!, was not her decision and came as a shock.
“I’ve not just lost my husband – I’ve lost my best friend and my business partner all in one go,” she said. She added that relationships can change over time and that the circumstances were complicated. “It’s difficult for me to describe what happened between us because this wasn’t my decision. It came as a shock to me. These things often build up over a period of time and are not straightforward.”
The account of how she learned about James’s reported relationship comes from a source quoted by The Sun. The source said Jamie Cutler, the former husband of Russian dancer Polina Mayer, called Ola unexpectedly the previous week and alleged that James and Polina had been sleeping together. Cutler reportedly told Ola that he believed Polina had been unfaithful with James.
According to the source, Ola was stunned by the call and felt her world was “imploding” as she listened. Cutler allegedly said she deserved to know what had been happening. Ola’s own description of her reaction was stark: “As a woman you know these things in your gut but now my worst fears have been confirmed, I’m utterly devastated.” The interview took place before the news of James’s new relationship broke.
The source said Ola then confronted James, 48, and asked for the truth. James allegedly told her he was filing for divorce. Ola described the day she found out as “devastating” and “traumatic,” adding: “It felt as though he was giving up on us and that it was the beginning of the end. I have cried a lot of tears.”
James’s representative offered a different account of the timing. Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, the spokesperson said James and Polina had grown closer “in recent weeks since separating from their respective partners.” That statement does not confirm the allegations of an affair during the marriage; the claims about what happened before the separation come from Cutler as reported by the newspaper.
Polina, 34, has appeared alongside James as his partner on The Legends in Vegas: After Hours tour. The production also features Strictly performers Brendan Cole, Pasha Kovalev, Vincent Simone and Ian Waite. The reported relationship therefore involves people who have worked together professionally, while the question of when it began remains disputed in the accounts presented.
Ola said she chose to speak in her own words because the couple had shared parts of their lives with the public throughout their Strictly careers, IVF journey and family life. “But that said, we have always shared our personal journeys through our Strictly careers, IVF and family. So I thought it might be best to say things in my own words rather than have anyone else speak for me.”
The pair’s joint announcement said their priority was their daughter Ella, six. They wrote that they had been together for 26 years and were taking time apart while facing “very difficult personal challenges.” James had moved out of the family home some time earlier, they said, describing the decision as painful and emotional. They added that they did not know what the future held and would take matters one day at a time, focusing on themselves and their family, “most importantly….. Ella.” They thanked supporters for their kindness and concern.
Ola has also spoken about how she is coping with the split. In a social media post, she called the summer “incredibly tough” and said life had changed in ways she had not expected. Time with Ella, she wrote, had been her greatest comfort: the pair made memories, cuddled and laughed together during the holidays. “She may not realise it now, but she has been my little ray of sunshine through some of my darkest days.”
The couple’s public account leaves the future open, while Ola’s comments make clear that she is still processing the separation and the new claims surrounding it. The most immediate priority she and James have named is Ella; Ola’s account also shows how strongly the breakdown has affected her. Metro said it had contacted representatives for both Ola and James for comment.
