James Jordan has opened up about the dramatic change in his everyday life following his separation from wife Ola, admitting that he sometimes struggles to recognize the quiet existence he now leads after more than two decades of marriage.

The former Strictly Come Dancing professional, 48, is currently living alone in a one-bedroom apartment after moving out of the family home he previously shared with Ola and their six-year-old daughter, Ella.

Appearing on This Morning, James offered a candid glimpse into the reality of adjusting to life on his own.

Instead of spending his evenings surrounded by family, the dancer said he can now find himself sitting alone watching television.

For someone who spent 26 years with the same partner, the transition has been profound.

James admitted that the past few years have been difficult and said he is now trying to rediscover who he is outside the relationship that defined most of his adult life.

James Is Adjusting to Living Alone

James moved out of the couple’s family home months before their separation became public.

Reports previously suggested he had taken a small apartment in Kent, close enough to remain involved in Ella’s life while giving himself the space he felt he needed.

His latest comments provide a clearer picture of what that decision has meant emotionally.

Living alone after decades with a partner has created an unfamiliar routine.

James described evenings in which there is nobody else in the apartment and little to do beyond sitting down in front of the television.

The contrast with his former life appears particularly difficult.

James and Ola were not only husband and wife. For much of their relationship, they were professional dance partners, television personalities and business collaborators.

Their personal and working lives were deeply intertwined.

Now James is confronting what happens when that structure suddenly changes.

He Says He Needs to Find Himself Again

During the interview, James acknowledged that he has been struggling emotionally.

He said the breakup remains difficult to discuss and suggested that he needs time to understand what his life looks like independently.

That process goes beyond simply finding a new place to live.

James met Ola when he was in his early twenties, meaning their relationship has existed for virtually his entire adult life.

After more than a quarter of a century as part of a couple, establishing an individual identity again can be a substantial adjustment.

The dancer indicated that he is trying to focus on improving his wellbeing rather than rushing to determine what happens next.

His comments are consistent with the joint statement the couple released after news of their separation emerged.

In that statement, James acknowledged that his mental health had been difficult for some time and said he was taking the time necessary to reach a healthier place.

James and Ola Are Calling It a Trial Separation

Although their marriage has clearly reached a serious crossroads, James and Ola have been careful about the terminology surrounding their relationship.

Their representatives initially described the situation as a trial separation.

The couple subsequently released their own statement explaining that they were taking time apart while confronting difficult personal challenges.

That distinction matters.

They have not publicly announced a completed divorce, and reports from people close to the pair have suggested that reconciliation has not necessarily been ruled out.

For now, however, they are living separately.

Both have also been seen without their wedding rings since the announcement.

James has emphasized that neither he nor Ola is currently in an easy place emotionally.

Their immediate priority is therefore not speculation about whether they will reunite, but navigating the separation while continuing to raise Ella together.

Their Daughter Remains the Priority

Whatever happens to the marriage, James and Ola have made one point particularly clear: Ella comes first.

Their daughter was born in February 2020 following a lengthy fertility journey.

The couple had previously spoken publicly about struggling to conceive before eventually turning to IVF.

Becoming parents represented an enormous moment for both of them.

Now, six years later, they are attempting to protect Ella from as much disruption as possible while their relationship changes.

Their manager said when confirming the separation that both parents remain committed to co-parenting and prioritizing their daughter’s wellbeing.

James’ decision to remain close to the family home also allows him to continue spending time with her.

The former Strictly star has made clear that becoming healthier emotionally is important not only for himself but also for his role as Ella’s father.

James and Ola Spent 26 Years Together

The scale of the adjustment becomes easier to understand when considering how long James and Ola have been a couple.

They first met at a dance competition in 1999.

Ola, who was still a teenager, subsequently became James’ professional dance partner and moved to England the following year.

Their professional relationship developed into a romance.

They married in 2003.

Long before television audiences knew their names, dancing was already at the center of their lives together.

That partnership eventually brought them to one of Britain’s biggest television programmes.

Strictly Made Them Household Names

James and Ola both joined Strictly Come Dancing as professional dancers in 2006.

Their appearances on the BBC competition transformed them from respected ballroom professionals into familiar television personalities.

Ola became particularly successful on the show.

In 2009, she partnered BBC presenter Chris Hollins and the pair went on to win the Glitterball Trophy.

James never claimed the title himself, but his outspoken personality made him one of the programme’s most recognizable professional dancers.

He left Strictly in 2013, while Ola continued until 2015.

Even after both had departed the programme, the Jordans remained closely associated with the Strictly world.

They appeared on other reality shows, participated in dance tours and regularly discussed the BBC series in interviews.

Their marriage also became part of their public identity.

Grief Changed James’ Life

Behind that familiar public image, James was experiencing an intensely difficult period.

His father, Allan, was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour around the beginning of the Covid lockdown.

He died in 2021.

James has previously spoken about the devastating effect the loss had on him.

He described entering an extremely dark period in which he lost motivation to exercise and struggled emotionally.

At the same time, he and Ola were adjusting to becoming first-time parents.

The combination of grief, lockdown and caring for a newborn placed enormous pressure on their lives.

James has stopped short of attributing the separation to a single event.

But he and Ola have acknowledged that the last several years have involved significant personal challenges.

Their Lives Had Become Closely Connected in Business Too

Separating after 26 years also involves more than dividing personal routines.

James and Ola built businesses together.

Their fitness programme Dance Shred grew out of their own highly publicized health transformation and combined dance with exercise routines.

They also shared business interests connected to property and their dance careers.

Recent reports indicate that some of those financial arrangements had already begun changing months before the couple publicly confirmed their separation.

James reportedly stepped down as a director of one of their property companies earlier this year, leaving Ola as its sole director.

The couple nevertheless remain connected professionally in some areas.

That creates another complicated layer to a separation involving two people whose lives have overlapped personally, professionally and financially for decades.

The Split Surprised Longtime Fans

When news of the separation emerged earlier this month, the announcement came as a surprise to many Strictly viewers.

James and Ola had long been regarded as one of the programme’s most enduring couples.

They survived years in the entertainment industry together and frequently joked publicly about the so-called Strictly curse — the nickname given to relationships that break down after someone joins the dance competition.

Their own marriage appeared to have avoided that fate.

There had, however, been subtle signs of change before the official announcement.

The pair had increasingly appeared separately, and reports later revealed that James had already been living away from the family home for several months.

Their eventual statement confirmed that the decision had not happened overnight.

Could James and Ola Reconcile?

For now, neither James nor Ola appears ready to make definitive predictions about the future.

Reports from friends have suggested that affection remains between them and that communication has continued.

They also remain permanently connected through Ella.

But that doesn’t mean a reunion is inevitable.

The couple have described their situation as painful and emphasized the need for time apart.

James’ latest comments reinforce that message.

His focus appears to be on adapting to life alone, addressing his emotional wellbeing and figuring out who he is after spending almost three decades as one half of James and Ola.

Whether that eventually leads back to his marriage remains unknown.

A Completely Different Life

For years, James Jordan’s life was defined by partnership.

He danced with Ola.

He worked with Ola.

They appeared on television together, built businesses together and eventually became parents together.

Now his surroundings are very different.

A one-bedroom apartment has replaced the family home.

Some evenings are spent alone in front of the television.

And the person who has been beside him since his early twenties is no longer sharing his everyday routine.

James isn’t pretending that transition has been easy.

Instead, his first detailed comments since the separation reveal a man attempting to adapt to an unfamiliar life while dealing with difficulties that have accumulated over several years.

After 26 years together, neither James nor Ola knows exactly what the next chapter will look like.

For the moment, they are writing it separately.