James Jordan taking 'time to find myself again' after split from Ola Jordan
James Jordan and Ola Jordan "began a trial separation some time ago" after 22 years of marriage.
James Jordan is taking "the time to find [himself] again" after his split from Ola Jordan.
The ex-Strictly Come Dancing pros - who are parents to six-year-old Ella - "began a trial separation some time ago" after 22 years of marriage, with him having moved out of their family home in Kent.
James, 48, has struggled to come to terms with breaking up with Ola, 43, but support from his friends, including fellow former Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole, has made the heartbreak that bit easier to process.
He and Brendan, 50, discussed their new Manopause podcast on ITV's This Morning on Wednesday (19.08.26), and James noted that they "don't speak too much about" the split on the podcast as it was filmed before the news went public.
Speaking to hosts Craig Doyle, 55, and Angela Scanlon, 42, the choreographer added: "I'm OK, it's been a tough few years, and I moved out a few months ago.
"I find it hard to talk about, and I'm not going to speak about it too much because I don't think it's fair on her, the fact that she's not here as well to speak about it."
After Brendan added that he has "been checking in on him every day", Angela asked James if "friends checking in is helping".
James replied: "Definitely. I think knowing that people are out there who you can talk to is [helpful] because I'm now sitting in a one-bedroom apartment on my own at night watching TV going, 'What is going on?'
"But I just feel I need that time to find myself again."
As well as the breakdown of his marriage, James has also had to cope with the loss of his dad Allan, who died from a stage four brain tumour in March 2021.
He said: "I know every single human being on the planet, at some point, is going to experience grief, losing someone very close.
"I didn't deal with it very well, and I hold my hands up and say, I dealt with it quite badly for a long period of time. It probably still affects me today in some way, shape, or form."
Earlier this month, James and Ola released a statement, via their representative, Vickie White, confirming that they "began a trial separation some time ago".
Vickie said: "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."
The former couple first started dating in 1999, and they tied the knot in 2003.
A source has claimed that the news has come as a "shock" to their family and friends.
The insider told The Sun newspaper: "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. 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."
Ola previously admitted that married life is tougher than some people realise.
She explained: "It's not all beautiful, and sometimes you can look at people's posts on Instagram and Facebook, and you think, oh, they've got perfect lives, but it's not like that...
"Marriage is not like that, no one's got a perfect marriage. It's a work in progress, and I think if two people want to be together, they'll make it happen.
"Sometimes you have dark times, and you need your other half's support, and it's not all pretty and perfect that people seem to think."
