Former Dancing On Ice champion James Jordan has waded into this year’s competition with some strong opinions – and he hasn’t held back. The professional dancer and reality star has controversially suggested that age could be the deciding factor in who takes home the trophy this season, effectively “ruling out” older contestants from winning.
Speaking candidly to The Mirror, in association with Sky Vegas, James explained: “I do believe that age plays a big factor in fear. When you’re younger, you’re a bit more fearless, whereas when you’re slightly older you’re constantly thinking that you’re going to break a bone if you fall.".
Using his own experience to illustrate the point, James reflected on his time on the show alongside Love Island star Wes Nelson. "I was watching Wes Nelson during my series, who was early 20s at the time and I watched him fall but he got straight back up and laughed it off, whereas when I fell, I’d get a bad injury," he admitted.
James, who won the ITV skating series back in 2019, believes this fearlessness gives younger contestants a clear advantage. “This is why when I am looking at this year’s contestants, I kind of rule out some of the older ones from winning. It’s much easier for the younger ones because they’re more fearless," he added.
While age may be a hurdle, James also shared his excitement for a potential female champion this season – something that hasn’t happened in quite some time. “There are two contestants who I’m interested in – Charlie Brooks and Molly Pearce. It’s been a long time since a female has won the show, so it would be amazing for that to happen in this series," he revealed.
