Ola Jordan is enjoying a summer holiday with her six-year-old daughter Ella, sharing new photographs on social media following her separation from husband James Jordan.
The 43-year-old former Strictly Come Dancing star has been documenting her trip with a series of Instagram pictures, including a new image posted on Wednesday. Posing with her daughter, Ola wore a hot coral bikini and sunglasses while showing off her tan.
Ola and James Jordan, 48, are professional ballroom and Latin dancers who rose to prominence on the BBC reality programme Strictly Come Dancing. The flagship entertainment series pairs professional dancers with celebrities to compete in live televised routines. The couple became mainstays on the Saturday night broadcast for a number of years, earning a dedicated following before leaving the cast in the last decade. They had been together for 26 years before shocking fans with a joint statement over the summer to announce the end of their relationship.
Social media message
While James had already addressed the split on television and audio platforms, Ola broke her silence on the separation for the first time last Friday. Taking to Instagram with a candid post, she confessed that her heart had felt heavier than she ever imagined.
"There have been moments this summer when my heart has felt heavier than I ever imagined it could," she wrote. "Life has changed in ways I never expected, and some days have been incredibly tough."
She credited their young daughter for helping her navigate the difficult period. "But through all of the uncertainty, one thing has remained constant, my beautiful girl Ella," she continued.
"Spending these summer holidays with my baby girl, making memories, having cuddles, laughing until our tummies hurt and simply enjoying every precious moment together has been my greatest comfort."
Ola added that Ella had been her "little ray of sunshine" through some of her darkest days.
"This summer hasn't been the one I imagined, but I'm choosing to focus on what truly matters: her, our memories, and all the love between us," she said.
Thanks to supporters
The dancer concluded her message by thanking her family, friends and fans for checking in on her and showing kindness during the separation.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your love and support have meant more to me than you will ever know," she wrote.
Ola and James decided to end their relationship permanently following a trial separation that began some time ago. Following the split, James removed his wedding band and moved out of their family home in Kent.
New audio podcast
James spoke about the breakdown of the relationship in a trailer for Manopause, a new podcast he is hosting alongside his former Strictly Come Dancing co-star Brendan Cole. Last week, he admitted he had found the past few years really tough and was struggling with life.
"I'm going through a midlife crisis. The last few years, for me, have been really tough," he said. "I'm not afraid to admit it. I put my hands up and say I'm struggling with life at the minute."
He explained that he was dealing with several different issues, including career choices and waking up without a sense of purpose.
"Manopause is for the middle-aged man that's struggling a little bit and hopefully we're going to be able to help ourselves and help you at the same time," he added.
Television interview
James also made an appearance on the daytime television programme This Morning, speaking to hosts Angela Scanlon and Craig Doyle about how his daily life has changed.
He revealed that he now spends his evenings sitting alone in a one-bed flat watching television.
"It's been a tough few years. I moved out a few months ago," James told the presenters. However, he stopped short of sharing further details about the couple's circumstances.
"I find it hard to talk about and I'm not going to speak about it too much because I don't think it's fair when she's not here as well," he said.
