Ex Strictly dancer Ola Jordan says she 'felt pressure to be skinny' while starring on the BBC show

The dancer starred in the show from 2006 to 2015
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Isobel Frodsham22 August 2019
The Weekender

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Ola Jordan has said she felt pressure to be thin while starring on Strictly Come Dancing.

The professional ballroom dancer, 36, said her attitude towards food has now changed since leaving the BBC One show in 2015.

She added she had to “work” for her figure as she has “boobs and a bum”.

Relaxed: Ola said her attitude towards food has now changed since leaving the show
Dave Benett

“When you're younger, you're like 'oh my god I've got to be skinny and I've got to look as good as the other girls,” she told the MailOnline.

“You're on a show in a tiny costume being compared to the other professionals next to you, so you're not gonna have that cake, you're just not.

“Whereas nowadays I go: 'shall we go and have that doughnut?' with my husband, so it's a bit more relaxed now.”

Hard work: Jordan, pictured with Chris Hollins, said they had to wear tiny costumes

Jordan previously stated she “wasn’t pregnant, just fat” after being photographed at the Lorraine High Street Fashion Awards in 2015.

In a series of tweets, she said: “I just had a phone call from my agent. The Daily Mail have contacted her to ask if I'm pregnant. I wanted my fans to be the first to know.

“BREAKING NEWS. I'm just FAT!”

Cha cha: Ola is pictured with the other dancers and Peter Andre in 2015
Ian West/PA

Jordan, who is married former Strictly pro James, 41, starred on the show from 2006 to 2015.

She won the seventh series with presenter Chris Hollins, 48, and went on to take part in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!

In 2016. Last year she was a judge on the Polish version of Strictly, called Dancing with the Stars: Taniec z gwiazdami.

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