I don't think he's a villain, I just think he's a bit childish and a wee bit shortsighted taking pot shots at the company that still employ his wife.

Darren and Lilia managed a similar situation without resorting to such a sustained sulk and kept working under the Strictly banner.

Maybe pondering how many calendars Ola would have sold without being on the show or whether BB would have given him the time of day without it might just make the penny drop he has more to thank it for than not.

I'll hold up my hand and admit I've not read the interview with Closer. At the end of the day Closer wants to sell magazines and the BBC wants to pull in viewers. I've never seen anything like the article about the comments made by James on the Radio Times website. It's a featured article and was surprised to see it at all, let alone as a featured article.

My thoughts are that there is no front runner as the 'ringer' celeb this year and that's added to the appeal of ranting about James. That and this is the first time an established couple with such long standing have been split up in this way by the producers, since Lilia and Darren in 2009. Maybe this is another ploy by the producers to drum up publicity.

Now this is what I don't understand.

Lilia & Darren may have worked on the equivalent show in other countries, but that has nothing to do with our Strictly other than the fact they'd been on the show. And Lilia refused to join the troupe, with rumours of defecting to ITV when she was seen leaving the studios. Both must have hoped to be asked back, but it's quite clear that James knows that is not going to happen.

Also, the show is vastly different to when the Lilia & Darren left. The steadily increasingly micro-management by the producers is clearly something James had a problem with because his style was to teach the dances and avoid the props, etc., so whilst it was money in their pockets every year they wouldn't just walk away from, he didn't like what happened enough to vote with his feet.

He's also tweeted that some of the pros still on the show have been in touch to say they wished they'd listened to him more because things are even worse this year (paraphrasing here). James is gobby, but he's not a liar and I'm hoping somebody will do a tell all about behind the scenes on the show.

I really miss Artem and come to that Robin and James, the show has lost its interest for me .The line up of male Pros in particular is much to be desired and I think the whole show has lost its sparkle.

I bet Bruce is quite pleased to be out of it too many derogatory remarks about him on these threads.

Its like an ex boyfriend who can't move on and is frankly moving into stalker territory. The sooner the wife is fired next year and both disappear into oblivion the better.

If Ola is axed, does that mean we'll have to listen to both of them ranting and raving next year.

It is truly amazing how some people believe the papers when they print anything negative about James but if they print anything positive then it is made up. Talk about being selective. Unbelievable.

Only watched for the last few series, never have been able to believe the sweetness and light behind the scenes. Everything being so friendly and happy.

It has seemed to me over the years that James is basically a nice guy, but very opinionated without always thinking things through thoroughly before speaking, or not maybe capable of thinking something through thoroughly.

On the other side, when reading newspapers - especially tabloid newspapers - I find that it seems to be an exercise in trying to find something that is actually true in amongst what they write.

Double quotes seems to mean that they uttered that word or words, but not necessarily in the context that the paper is using the quote.

Single quotes seems to mean anything from
'they didn't say that in the way we are portraying'
to
'they didn't say that at all, we just made it up on the basis that that's what we think they would say if they gave their opinion on the matter'.

'A source said' seems to mean someone uttered those words, and my opinion of tabloids is now such that I can imagine the author writing what he wanted 'a source' to say and handing it to his colleague at the next desk to read it back to him.

So I'm very suspicious of how much truth can be found in tabloid journalism.

I see James has tweeted

I love how people believe everything they read in the papers 🙊
Only the small minded people though.
The others know I support strictly!

Some papers must be sailing very close to the wind with the things they've printed as direct quotations from James, for instance, "Craig is a nob" and that he'd told the PTB at Strictly (when told that anybody is replaceable) "F*cking replace us all then. See what happens."

If I was quoted as having said either of those of/to a work colleague and it was untrue, I'd be consulting my solicitor.

Yes, I should have given James the benefit of the doubt that it was just the papers talking rubbish. Sometimes you just get upset and react to the story - which is of course what the story is designed to do. I wish we had a press we could trust.

I don't believe what I read in the tabloids, but I do like to know what's being reported iykwim!

Glad James has responded.

People shouldn't believe everything they read in the papers, but James can hardly blame them for believing this when he's gobbed off in the past about Strictly. He's an idiot who really needs to STFU from now on, because his gobbiness is coming back to bite him in the arse big time.

Incidentally, I must be small-minded, because I don't get the impression that he does support Strictly. Why would he when he's no longer with the show and is clearly unhappy about his treatment by TPTB? By now claiming that he does support the show (despite all the evidence to the contrary), he's coming across as a hypocrite.

There's such a thing as supporting what a thing should be in the face of what it actually is. We call that Faith.
(I can be sooo pompous )

Still loving James' ability to create controversy

I wonder if Ola has had a word

Actually I can see Ola banning James from Twitter!

The majority of things that I read about James that come from people who actually know him in real-life context (CBB doesn't count) or have met him as a pro seem to indicate that he's a genuine bloke who doesn't put on a front and cares about others.

However, when he opens his mouth, stuff often emerges that seems designed to provoke, annoy and irritate.

Evidence seems to indicate that James is a decent guy. Unfortunately, he seems to lack the essential wiring from his gob to his brain and vice versa.

Bellend more like. What a **** of a man he is.

I have been on the receiving end of the media selectively broadcasting an out of context statement. Made me and the person I referred to in my statement look bad. Unnecessarily and unjustifiably bad because it was misleading in the wider context of the 45 mins or so of the recording.

So, I think we should (at least be prepared to) give the benefit of the doubt on occasions

Oh, for sure - although he really hasn't a leg to stand on with the tweets

Fair point

As an aside

I just find him tedious. He's like an ex that can't let go.

The producers dropped you because they were sick of your cockiness, James. They offered you a chance to be in the dance troupe and you thought you were better.

That Big Brother money is going to run out really soon, and if he carries on mouthing off his wife will be out of a job too.

Sure they have... James will hear what he wants to hear. You're either very innocent or completely naïve to believe a word he says. Chat with any ex runners or staff on SCD and you'll not find a single good word for James.

I'm surprised he has got time to tweet with all of his various job offers
Desperate
deluded
tragic
Poor Ola

Could not agree with you more.
Also as for him being a liar and a hypocrite,he has proved this with his interview with O.K. mag.
Plus his slot on Celebrity juice, when he ran away from K Hopkins then licked a guys backside while standing in front of two totally naked pensioners,yet froze in horror when Gary dropped his pants to fix his knee brace.

I'll thank you not to be rude. Choosing to think well of someone until I know otherwise does not make me very innocent or naive. The chances of me (or the vast majority of posters on here) chatting with ex-runners or staff on SCD are pretty slim (and why do you say 'ex'?). Do you know James personally and well enough to know what's going on in his life?

Being snide is not clever.