There could be a special return to Strictly this autumn

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s James Jordan admitted he thought he was going to die on stage each night of last year’s sold-out Legends of the Dance Floor tour.

Former BBC pros James, Ian Waite, Pasha Kovalev, Brendan Cole and Vincent Simone turned back time and wowed fans around the country with fast footwork and hilarious tales.

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James Jordan felt the physical strain on the Legends dance tour last yearCredit: The TCB Group

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James, Ian Waite, Brandan Cole, Pasha Kovalev and Vincent Simone are returning to the stageCredit: The TCB Group
But having been away from the live circuit for so long, James found the gruelling nature of life on stage particularly tough and, when it came to a fast-paced jive, was worried he might kick the bucket in front of thousands of fans.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun, he said: “Every night I did that jive I thought ‘is tonight the night that I’m going to die?’”

Laughing, he continued: “Pasha, you’re the one every night that used to say ‘if he dies he dies’.”

Fortunately, James, 46, is still with us and is raring to go for another theatre run this September for The Return of the Legends.

And the lads are definitely giving it their all in the build up.

Ian and James just returned from an elite fitness week abroad with other ex-athletes like Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington.

Despite being the elder statesman of the group, Ian gleefully showcased his ripped eight pack, which is no mean feat for anyone – especially at 54 years of age.

He might not be as shredded as his close pal, but James has shown his grit and determination by losing weight and overcoming numerous health setbacks, including surgery on his shoulder and hernias, which needed his inguinal canal reconstructed.

Being back on the road has given him renewed purpose and he has vowed to be 100 per cent, and then some, for the upcoming run.

James said: “Ian is just an anomaly, he’s a freak of nature. I’ve just been for a week with him on holiday actually a fitness week; he’s 54 years old and he’s as fit as anyone 20 years younger than him.

“I’m trying to keep up but unfortunately, genetically, don’t have the same joints and bones that Ian does. I’ve had shoulder surgery, I need shoulder surgery on this one, I’ve just had a hernia operation where they had to totally reconstruct my inguinal canal.

“I’ve got bad knees, I suffer with my back, I’ve got tennis elbow, however, I’m one of these people, as Ian knows, I’ve got to get over myself and try and get through it and this year will be no different.

“I feel like I’m in a slightly better place than I was last year when I started the tour; these boys are ridiculous. Their fitness levels are still insane and I’m going to be up with them this year 100 per cent every night.”

The five dancers got a glowing endorsement from Strictly’s head judge, Shirley Ballas, when they embarked on last year’s tour.

They had been hesitant to send out invites to other famous names from their past for one reason: what if it was just a bit s**t?

That proved not to be the case with Shirley calling it “one of the funniest shows that I’ve ever seen in my life”, while fans around the country were left applauding on their feet.

Following favourable reviews, expect to see the likes of Arlene Phillips and Craig Revel Horwood watching on at some point.

James said: “I will actually reach out to Arlene because I’m quite close to her. I’m sure she would love to see the show.

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Shirley Ballas called the show one of the funniest she’s ever seenCredit: PA

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Craig Revel Horwood could be on the guestlist this time aroundCredit: BBC
“Ian is very close to Craig and I’m sure this year because we didn’t know what the reaction was going to be, we felt like we had a great show, but you don’t want to invite everyone just in case it’s a bit s**t, right? So you don’t reach out to everyone.

“But I think now we know that the reaction was so good I think we’re going to reach out to more people like that.

“Please come and watch us and see what we’re still able to do so many years after we left the show.”

FAN FAVOURITES

Strictly’s current crop of professional dancers have been making the most of their popularity in recent years, with more and more of the cast embarking on lucrative solo jaunts in between series’.

What separates the legends’ show from the pack is that fans are effectively getting five for the price of one. The shackles that bound those under the employment of the BBC are also off, and they can tell stories and jokes that current pros simply couldn’t get away with.

Explaining the popularity of the first tour, James said: “I think it’s part of the nostalgia of the original pros. We’re all big personalities in our own right.

“Vincent, really known for the Argentine tango; Brendan, the original that’s been on there for so many years; Pasha, the sexy Russian; Ian, the flamboyant, beautiful, elegant dancer; and me, the gobby one. So I think there’s something for everyone in the show.

“We didn’t know how successful it would be. We kind of thought we were onto something. Great idea, great concept.

“Every night I did that jive I thought ‘is tonight the night that I’m going to die?’”

James Jordan

“But, I mean, Bromley sold out in two days. And we never really expected that ourselves. So, there was a lot of hype around it.

“And I feel that all of us backed it up with an amazing show. I mean, the feedback that we got from it was amazing. I mean, even Shirley Butler said it’s one of the funniest shows she’s ever seen, which is a massive compliment to all of us.

“I think that’s testament to the fact that we all get on genuinely so well. And we’re quite happy ripping the p*ss out of each other on stage every night and telling our stories and things that happened to us in the past on Strictly.”

There were close to the wire jokes about chaperones last time out after Strictly famously introduced them to training rooms following the Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima scandals.

Both dancers departed the show amid claims of inappropriate behaviour from their respective celeb partners.

“They enjoy the fact that we’re so open and honest,” said James. “Because we don’t work for the BBC anymore. We’re not part of Strictly. We love the show, respect the show. But we’re very honest and brutal.

“Shirley doesn’t have to say great things about our show. She just doesn’t. And I think when she came to the show, she said to me afterwards, ‘it was such a surprise. I couldn’t believe how much fun it was and how engaged I was in the whole thing’.

“We have so much variety in our show, the comedy, the amazing solo dances.”

LAST HURRAH?

What better way would there be to show off their choreography than with a return to Strictly this autumn. After all, the tour coincides with the next series and guest performances on the Sunday night show are part and parcel of the programme.

Ian said: “It would go down so well, so if the producers listen to the audience you never know, we might be on there.”

Revealing what they would perform, James said: “We have one number in particular that I know with the production value that Strictly has now… there’s a number that opens the second act and it’s like a cowboy number, and if we went and did that show on Strictly it would go down a storm.

“We’re not trying to get back on the show, we’ve been there, had our time, but it would be nice to go back and have a little nod to say these old boys that were kind of the originals on the show are still doing their thing and this is what they can do.”

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James and wife Ola pictured in 2011Credit: Getty

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The new tour kicks off in Cambridge on September 5Credit: Terry Blackburn