VANESSA Feltz has revealed what’s it was really like dancing with James Jordan after he was accused of bullying on Strictly.

Former show pro James, 46, has been engulfed in controversy over a resurfaced ‘fat jibe’.

Vanessa Feltz has revealed what’s it was really like dancing with James JordanCredit: Splash

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They competed together on the eleventh seriesCredit: PA:Press Association
The dancer took to social media to defend himself after a clip that showed him calling partner Georgina Bouzova “fat” went viral.

James, who has previously won Dancing On Ice, insisted the viral clip was edited together for It Takes Two for “entertainment purposes”.

Vanessa, 62, previously took part in the eleventh series of the hit BBC competition in 2013 and was partnered with James.

The former TalkTV host was the second star to be eliminated.

Defending James, Vanessa told Closer: “I think people thought James and I – as we’re both big characters – would rub each other up the wrong way, but in fact we got on famously.

“I really wasn’t very good, but James was incredibly patient, never got annoyed, and showed me how to do things 20 times if I’d need to – and even then I’d usually forget it.

“He’d even bring Ola in to help if I still couldn’t get something. And James and Ola are now very good friends of mine.

“In fact, I was one of the first people Ola told when she was pregnant!”

Earlier this month, James spoke out about a video of him calling Georgina “fat” resufaced.

The former show star was seen raging at Georgina as they argued in rehearsals back in 2006

But James said he has never had complaints from his Strictly co-stars in eight years of being on the show.

His wife Ola has come under fire too, with the BBC show facing its biggest crisis as more celebrities share horror stories from behind the scenes.

It emerged last week that TV wildlife presenter Steve Backshall, 51, lodged a complaint against her back in 2014.

The celeb said he’d found his dance partner to be “rude and impatient” which undermined his confidence.

Ola has yet to respond, but her husband took to Instagram and shared a sarcastic tweet from a Strictly fan this week.

It jokingly suggested that James has been living in fear of his wife.

The person tagged Ola and James, writing: “@The_OlaJordan stands 5’4” tall and weighs the same as a Pringle packet, she can reduce hardened explorers to tears.

“She’s the dance floor assassin @bbcstrictly and we need a fund me page for poor @The_JamesJordan who must live in terror daily.”

James shared a screenshot of the tweet on his Instagram Story and wrote over the top: “Please!!! Someone help me” alongside a distressed face emoji.

The Sun contacted Ola’s representatives for comment at the time.

It is understood that Steve complained directly to a Strictly producer after their Halloween-themed Charleston.

Following this, bosses called Ola in for a meeting and agreed that she and Steve would be accompanied at all times while they remained in the competition.

At the time, Steve spoke about the physical demands of the series.

He told the Daily Mail that he was unable to point the toes of his left foot due to a fused ankle from a near-fatal climbing accident in 2008.

The action star revealed he was in “constant pain” during training and took painkillers every day.

He said: “It has absolutely broken me. You are training all day long on hard wooden floors wearing dance shoes that have no give in them at all, and no cushioning

“The impact travels straight all the way through my body and I’m just falling apart.”

Strictly Come Dancing’s bullying crisis was sparked earlier this year when Amanda Abbington, 50, complained about dancer Giovanni Pernice, 33, who has since been suspended.

In later developments, fellow professional Graziano Di Prima, 30, was fired by the BBC following claims he hit, spat at and kicked former celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during rehearsals.

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A resurfacec clip showed James calling his partner Georgina Bouzova “fat”Credit: BBC

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His wife Ola has come under fire for ‘bullying’ Steve BackshallCredit: handout