EXCLUSIVEStrictly scandal deepens after video shows James Jordan telling Georgina Bouzova he will 'kill her'

By Katie Hind Consultant Editor Showbusiness 15:57 17 Jul 2024, updated 17:56 17 Jul 2024

Strictly fans have been left aghast at unearthed footage of the programme's former professional dancer James Jordan telling his partner he would 'drag her across the floor and scream at her' if she forgot her moves.

The clip, which was filmed during the fourth series back in 2006, shows him rehearsing with actress Georgina Bouzova. 

He also says to her 'kill you' as he demands she stands on one leg and insists that unless she has physically broken a rib he doesn't care what pain she is in. He is also seen throwing a chair across the training studio.

Jordan, who left Strictly in 2012 after appearing on eight series, also banned Ms Bouzova, who formerly starred on BBC medical drama Casualty, from eating sweets and chocolate and would only allow her to buy pineapple and ham when they visited a supermarket together.

The video, which emerged just days after Graziano Di Prima was sacked for allegedly hitting and kicking his partner Zara McDermott, was shown on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two at the time with its then host Claudia Winkleman introducing it to viewers. 

Half way through the clip the show returned to the presenter who made light of the behaviour by describing Jordan, husband of another former Strictly pro Ola Jordan, as 'an extraordinary human being.'

The video, which is being shared across social media platform TikTok opens with Jordan telling Ms Bouzova that he was a 'force to be reckoned with' before ordering her to 'move that f***ing foot.'

Explaining why he is working the star so hard, he then says: 'Unless she's actually physically broken a rib, I don't care...kill you, stand on your left leg. Unless her feet are bleeding, I don't care. If they're sore, dance through it.'

Appearing to be surprised by 46-year-old Jordan's outbursts, Ms Bouzova then asked: 'I forget, what will you do?'

He replies: 'I drag you across the floor and then scream at you when get up..'

Later in the clip Jordan tells Ms Bouzova that she should lose weight. She told the camera: 'Basically, he thinks I'm a bit of a porker,' to which he replied: 'I said you no chocolate, no crisps. Every time I see you, you're eating chocolate.'

She then asked if she looks fat to which he said no but when she asked: 'Do I look like I could do with losing a bit of...' he replies: 'Yes.'

On Monday Jordan weighed into the Di Prima scandal, writing on X: 'Just seen another pro dancer is not coming to Strictly - again for apparent abusive behaviour. What is going on?'

The video emerging comes after claims by The Sun newspaper that there is a third former professional dancer whose name has been given to Carter-Ruck, the law firm representing Amanda Abbington. There is no suggestion the dancer is Jordan.

Little more is known about the person's identity, and the BBC are said to be unaware of who or what they are accused of. 

Strictly sources say that they suspect that the story is being 'whipped up' by former Sherlock star Ms Abbington who is awaiting the outcome of an internal investigation by the BBC after accusing her partner Giovanni Pernice of bullying her during rehearsals.

Meanwhile, there have been accusations levelled at the BBC by Strictly staff for not reporting the scandal accurately on its own airwaves.

On Tuesday evening, the Radio 4 news programme said that Di Prima had denied hitting or kicking Ms McDermott and on Wednesday morning, the Today programme used the term 'tough training methods' to describe his behaviour towards the former Love Island contestant.