The Strictly judging panel is currently made up of Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke.
James Jordan believes two of the current judges on Strictly Come Dancing need to be axed in order to freshen up the show. Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke have been the judges on the show since 2021, but former Strictly professional James, 47, is certain the show needs a major shake-up. Speaking to Reach PLC on behalf of Freebets, James demanded: “Shake them up, get rid of some of them. You need to get rid of at least two of them to shake it up a bit.”
He continued: “Maybe get someone on there that’s quite honest and outspoken, and not afraid to say the truth for fear of offending the ‘woke minority’ that write in and say, ‘You can’t say that’, but at the end of the day, it’s a dance competition and you’re being judged. I used to prefer it when they were a bit more honest and not saying something and then going, ‘But I love you and I think you’re doing an amazing job’. It’s ok to say, ‘Actually, I didn’t enjoy this dance, I didn’t feel your technique was correct, you’re doing heel leads instead of being on the toe, your posture needs work,’ what’s wrong with saying that?”
James Jordan believes Strictly Come Dancing is in need of a shake-up (Image: Channel 4)
James, who is married to former Strictly pro Ola Jordan, added: “I feel we need to bring back that. You don’t need to be mean, you don’t need to be horrible or get personal, but I think it needs a bit of honesty on the panel.”
James was a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing from 2006 to 2013, performing with stars such as Gabby Logan, Zöe Lucker, Denise van Outen, and Vanessa Feltz.
It’s hardly surprising he believes the hit BBC programme is in need of a shake-up, as it has been marred by scandals in recent years.
Giovanni Pernice stepped down from the show in 2024 after his celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington, accused him of bullying. The 35-year-old has always denied the claims made against him. A subsequent investigation was launched, which upheld six of the 17 complaints made against the Italian dancer.
Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke have been the Strictly judges since 2021 (Image: PA)
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The show faced further controversy months later when Graziano Di Prima was removed following allegations that he “kicked” Love Island star Zara McDermott during rehearsals. In response to these incidents, the BBC introduced stricter anti-bullying measures for contestants, including a dedicated helpline and chaperones during rehearsals.
Back in August, the BBC launched an investigation into allegations of cocaine use involving two Strictly stars. Reports claimed their drug use had been discussed on the show, although the two cast members have not been named
The same month, it was confirmed a Strictly star had been arrested on suspicion of rape.
The male suspect, who has not been named for legal reasons, was also reportedly being questioned by police over allegations involving “non-consensual intimate image abuse”.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will step down from Strictly at the end of this year’s series (Image: Getty)
In yet another blow to the BBC show, it was announced a second Strictly star had been arrested on suspicion of rape.
The alleged attack occurred back in 2024, which led to the arrest of an unnamed man, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Earlier this month, a video emerged of a married male contestant “passionately” kissing a female professional dancer. It is reported to have happened during a previous series.
Along with this, presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced they will be stepping down from Strictly at the end of this year’s series.
