wood

James Jordan thinks the recent Strictly Come Dancing “bloodbath”, which saw a string of professionals axed from the BBC show, was just “getting rid of dead wood”

James Jordan has said the recent culling of several Strictly Come Dancing professionals was “getting rid of dead wood”. The TV star, 48, served as a professional on the BBC Saturday night favourite from 2006 until 2013, and has now spoken out on the mass shakeups that have occurred ahead of the next series going to air.

It was then confirmed earlier this year that professional dancers Karen Hauer, the longest-serving pro on the series, along with Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas would not be returning to the series.

But James has now insisted that the changes were what was “needed” to give another set of pros a chance. He told the Press Association: “When you join Strictly, you’re taking someone’s job, OK? And people forget that because they’re on the show, but then when they’re asked to leave, and then they’re replaced, they’re only worried about that.

“But they forget at some point, they took someone’s job. It’s just showbiz, that’s what it is. Enjoy it for what it is – it is a juggernaut of a show, and it was an honour for all of us to be part of it for so many years.

“But you have to remember that it will come to an end at some point, and all this controversy around, ‘oh, they’re changing so many of the pros’… it needed a shakeup. Some of the pros have been on there for 14 years… dead wood… get rid of them and bring someone younger in, in my opinion.”

But fellow former Strictly professional dancer Ian Waite said: “In my opinion, they got rid of the wrong ones.” He said: “All the professional dancers are amazing in their own right, but you can’t stay on there forever. At some point, you have to give the younger ones a chance, because there’s so many amazing dancers out there.”

James then claimed that bosses could have “got rid of some of the judges as well,” with the panel currently made up of Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood, before hitting out at how “politically correct” he thinks it has become in recent years.

He added: “It’s all got nicey-nicey now, isn’t it? It’s all politically correct, and ‘you can’t say this, and you can’t say that’. You can’t be negative because they’re (the contestants) are gonna cry. It’s a dance show. You need that baddie… but even Craig now is kind of toned down a lot.” He then called for the “reality” of the series to be shown to viewers.

“It’s all like everyone loves everyone, and we’re all one big happy family. That’s not life, that’s not real life. I want to see how hard they’re working in the training room. I want to see the tears. I think that’s the magic that needs to come back.”

James’ own exit from the show came as a result of him choosing to turn down the offer of a reduced role, which would have meant that he would have not been paired with a celebrity on the main programme having previously competed with the likes of broadcaster Vanessa Feltz, actress Denise Van Outen and The One Show’s Alex Jones.

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced they were leaving last year and will be replaced by Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, and Josh Widdicombe.

Casting the Big Brother host to present the new series was hailed by James as an “amazing” decision, but wasn’t sure what to make of her new co-stars and would have “preferred” another big name from the TV world.

But he said: “I would have preferred someone like Bradley Walsh or Vernon Kay, or someone like that, because they’re tried and tested. But at the same time, sometimes you got to take risks, and I’m not going to say it’s not good, because I haven’t seen it until I see it.”

Later this year, James and Ian will be teaming up with fellow former Strictly pros Brendan Cole, Pasha Kovalev and Vincent Simone for the dance show Vegas: After Hours.

The show will see them bringing the spirit of Sin City to life with routines set to a soundtrack inspired by Las Vegas performers. James said following their previous Legends Of The Dance Floor in 2024 and The Return Of The Legends last year, they were approached to do another show with the “old geriatrics from Strictly”.

Ian then joked that although they had asked producers to be sent to Vegas for “research purposes”, money was “too tight”. He said: “They said they couldn’t afford James’s casino bills and Vincent’s drinks bill.”

James then said: “These guys are amazing and inspire me every single day that I watch them on stage. They’re all so different and so brilliant at what they do, but I think what separates our tour from any other Strictly tour is the realism in between with the chat, the camaraderie between us, and the fact that we take the mickey out of each other. If we were still working for the BBC, we wouldn’t be able to say some of these things… but it’s all very real and honest and funny.”

The 30-date tour starts in Fareham on October 3 and wraps up in Cardiff on November 8. Tickets are on sale now, available from the venues, Ticketmaster and on The Legends in Vegas: After Hours | Concert Tour.

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ROCKER Ronnie Wood has got satisfaction on his birthday today – after being surprised with a classic red phone box from his wife.

The Rolling Stones legend was gifted the timeless telephone booth by his honky tonk woman Sally Humphreys to mark his 79th birthday.

The original British Telecom K6 phone box, costing some £5,000, did the moonlight mile as it was delivered to his country estate in Little Gaddesden, Herts.

The fixture means the former hard-partying icon won’t be going off the hook anymore.

Wood married his current wife, theatre producer Sally, 48, in 2012 and welcomed their twin daughters just four years later.

Speaking to Hello! Magazine he said: “Any time I’m with her and the girls, that’s the best for me, nothing tops it.

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“When the twins come into our bed and we’re all snuggled up together, that, for me, is wonderful. My idea of heaven.

“It’s special. The girls are so cuddly and gorgeous. I’m a lucky man.”

A source said Ronnie is celebrating his birthday at his holiday home in Barcelona.

Gogglebox couple Mary and Giles bickered in the latest episode of the Channel 4 show

Gogglebox star Giles Wood bickered wife Mary Killen on the show as he insisted he deserved “better” now he’s getting older.

The armchair critic launched into a rant about wanting “new, fresh things” in the latest instalment of the Channel 4 show, as he dug in his heels about wanting a new BBQ.

He and wife, Gogglebox co-star Mary, had been watching celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s Ultimate BBQ show, when Giles decided that he wanted to splash out on a new one himself.

“Let’s buy that barbecue, Mary,” he said, however, she replied: “We’ve got one.”

“I know, but it’s c**p,” said Giles, but Mary asked: “Is it? You haven’t even tried it yet.”

“No, I just don’t like old things,” Giles insisted. “The older I get, the more I want new things, Mary. That’s irony. I like to buy new, fresh things.”

“Well, too bad,” his wife retorted.

“I’ve had a lifetime of hand-me-downs, and I’m fed up with it,” Giles explained. “I deserve better.”

Mary replied “No, you don’t deserve…” but Giles interjected: “I deserve better.”

“You certainly do not!” she exclaimed, as Giles restated his desire for Jamie’s BBQ. “I deserve one of these, Mary,” he told her.

Viewers were tickled by the exchange, with one posting on X: “Lol, Gyles just wants a new BBQ.” “Giles go buy yourself a new BBQ,” urged another viewer, as somebody else exclaimed: “Giles deserves better!”

“Giles is great at winding up Mary and she always bites,” one person posted on the platform, which was formerly Twitter. Another quipped: “Giles! He kills me.”

The pair squabbled again later in the episode, which saw the cast watching programmes such as the Eurovision Song Contest, Race Across the World and Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly.

They had words when Giles took issue with a pork pie containing pickle.

Giles was sampling the pie as they tuned into the week’s TV offerings but when Mary asked if he was “pleased with it” he confessed: “Um, sadly no.”

“That is not a proper pork pie,” he said. “So what?” Mary asked. “It’s nicer than a pork pie. It’s sophisticated.”

But Giles said the fact it was called a pork and pickle pie “should immediately send red lights buzzing in, in anyone’s head” as he complained about it being “soggy”.

Unimpressed, Mary got up to take it off him. “Oh, you horrible man, stop touching it,” she said. “I’m going to take it away… If you’re ungrateful, there are 100 men who would say, ‘Ooh, that’s a sophisticated take on a pork pie, Mary.’ I’m going to have that. Thank you. You’re not having it again.”

Gogglebox airs on Channel 4.

Wood’s spot-kick, smashed high beyond Emi Martinez, was his 200th career goal and gives Forest something to defend at Villa Park next week.

The New Zealand international only returned this month, having been sidelined since October with his knee issue.

He missed the entirety of Sean Dyche’s reign, having surgery in December, but started the quarter-final first-leg draw in Porto three weeks ago.

Lucas Digne’s baffling decision to raise his arms and handle the ball as Omari Hutchinson tried to keep it in play gave Wood his chance with 19 minutes left.

There was an audible cheer when Wood stepped up to take the penalty – Morgan Gibbs-White having missed from the spot against Strum Graz and Braga this season.

There was a sense of expectation, which is only fair as Wood has not missed a penalty in 10 years – since failing to score against Hull for Leeds in April 2016.

He has now scored 28 successive spot-kicks.

“That’s what I have to do and that’s what I try to do. It’s the job, the responsibility that my team gives me,” he told TNT.

“It’s cup competitions. They come down to small margins at times. Both teams played very well. But it’s small moments that can potentially change games. Thankfully it went in our favour tonight and hopefully again next week.

“It’s one leg of the tie. It’s nice to have the advantage but going to Villa Park will be a tough game. They’re good at their place. But we’ve done the job here at home and now hopefully we’ll build into next week.”

He scored in last Friday’s 5-0 Premier League win at Sunderland – his first goal since a penalty against Midtjylland in October – and has six goals in 19 games for club and country this season.

Wood, 34, has explained he will have to manage his knee injury for the rest of his life – but after watching so much of Forest’s battle against the Premier League drop from the sidelines, he is just glad to be back in action and scoring.

“That’s all I wanted to do,” he said. “I wanted to get back fit and firing to help my team as best as I can at the end of the season. I knew we had a lot to play for when I was fighting to get fit and it’s showing. It’s some big competitions to be a part of.

“We’re in the crunch end of the season. We need to perform on both parts and we’ll be looking to do that for sure.”