Vanessa Feltz defends former Strictly partner James Jordan after 'abusive' footage of him emerged and SLAMS BBC for 'deliberately editing' clip as crisis on the show deepens
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Vanessa Feltz has defended former Strictly partner James Jordan after unearthed footage emerged of him telling Georgina Bouzova in rehearsals he would 'drag her across the floor and scream at her' if she forgot her moves.
Vanessa, 62, who took part in the series in 2013, furiously said it was 'quite wrong' to include him in the same category as axed professionals Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima.
Speaking on her YouTube channel she slammed the BBC who 'deliberately' put together the footage to feature on It Takes Two.
Saying: 'Anybody who thinks that this is mysterious footage of James Jordan that has suddenly come to light and shows him in the same kind of category as Giovanni Pernice or Graziano Di Prima, both of whom are now no longer associated with the program, is quite wrong.'
It comes as Graziano, 30, was axed from the show last week over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year's series.
Vanessa Feltz has defended former Strictly partner James Jordan after unearthed footage of him of emerged as crisis on the show deepens
Vanessa, 62, who took part in the series in 2013 (pictured) furiously said it was 'quite wrong' to include James in the same category as axed professionals Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima
James and actress Georgina Bouzova pictured during during the fourth series back in 2006
Weeks earlier Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is conducted over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Amanda Abbington, 50, and two other former celeb partners.
Recalling working with James Vanessa, who was voted out second during her series, said: 'James Jordan was unbelievable to work with on Strictly'.
'Poor thing he got me, it was really the short straw the short, chubby non dancing straw, it really was.
Before adding: 'And he was completely magnificent to me. He was incredibly funny, kind, patient, amazingly hard working, and very, very, very, very nice.'
Following her defence James thanked her on Instagram writing: 'Thanks @Vanessafeltz I just watched the video on your YouTube channel and you just reminded me how amazing I am, love you Vanessa'.
It comes after the dancer also slammed the BBC after the clip began doing the rounds saying most of the footage 'was not related to Georgina at all'.
The clip, which was filmed during the fourth series back in 2006, shows him rehearsing with actress Georgina.
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.
Recalling working with James Vanessa, who was voted out second during her series, said: 'James Jordan was unbelievable to work with on Strictly'
Before adding: 'And he was completely magnificent to me. He was incredibly funny, kind, patient, amazingly hard working, and very, very, very, very nice.'
Following her defence James thanked her: 'Thanks @Vanessafeltz I just watched the video on your YouTube channel and you just reminded me how amazing I am, love you Vanessa'.
But he has now responded to the clip on his Instagram as he shared a raging statement saying that the footage was 'edited for entertainment' and was 'highly produced and exaggerated'.
He said there 'is no comparison to be drawn between those awful allegations and the VT' - while insisting none of his celebrity partners ever complained about him during his eight years on the show.
It comes as Graziano, 30, was axed from the show last week over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year's series.
It came just weeks after Giovanni Pernice, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is conducted over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Amanda Abbington, 50, and two other former celeb partners.
James penned in the caption to his post as he shared a snap dancing with Georgina: 'For those of you who have seen the edited BBC VT of me training with Georgina 18 years ago - yes I had hair once!!
'But I just wanted to reassure you that footage was shot and edited together by the BBC team for transmission on It Takes Two 18 years ago in specific ways for the purposes of ENTERTAINMENT.
'Many of the clips were not related to Georgina at all (they are not allowed to do that these days as it misrepresents what actually happened) but were included for the purpose of exaggeration.
The clip, which was filmed during the fourth series back in 2006, shows him rehearsing with actress Georgina
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 also banned the former Casualty star from eating sweets and chocolate and would only allow her to buy pineapple and ham when they visited a supermarket together
'The BBC thought it would be fun to put this VT together in the way they did. You can see Georgina laughing about it in the studio and in the clips... And I have never received ANY complaints from any of my celebrity dance partners in the 8 years I was on the show.
'Obviously if I had genuinely upset anyone, that footage would NEVER have been allowed to be used in that way by the BBC themselves. The Producers loved to paint me as the bad guy and I played along...always a perfectionist ...but I would never have deliberately upset anyone and pride myself on good friendships with my celebrity dance partners.
'I strongly suggest that nobody attempts to link this edited BBC VT with the current alleged reports of abusive behaviour taking place behind the scenes by other Strictly professionals.
'There is no comparison to be drawn between those awful allegations and the highly produced and exaggerated VT from the BBC archives that is featuring on social media. To be clear, I deplore bullying or abusiveness in the workplace.'
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.
It comes after after Graziano Di Prima was sacked for hitting and kicking his partner Zara McDermott (pictured together in October 2023)
Graziano's sacking came just weeks after Giovanni Pernice, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is conducted over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Amanda Abbington, 50
The video, which emerged just days after Graziano was sacked for allegedly hitting and kicking his partner Zara, 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.'
