My view exactly.

You put that so well aggs.
I really like your style.

I know how the media works and read the DM Sidebar of Shame. I am not so niave not to believe that some people set up moments to be captured by the media. I just don't believe that has happened every time I see someone in the press. Yes, you have to accept the consequences of using the media, but that doesn't mean a story is fabricated or leaked every time by the individual. Sometimes what we see or read are the simple facts.

To be honest I think James is his own enemy these days and I say that as someone who liked him on the show. He should never have done CBB and what ever his intentions were last series, he came off badly with his Twitter use (except during the live show). His actions have had a negative impact on how Ola is perceived and she is now tabloid fodder. But I still like her and don't believe she is the calculating b!tch some posters make her out to be. She will be paying the price for James' actions, but I suspect she will defend him til the cows come home and I have no problem with that.

I agree with every word of that.

Me too.

James and Ola seem to get bundled together sometimes as if they are both the same person or one personality.

I see them as very different people, but they love each other and support each other in their own ways.

James - I can see the good in him and understand why Ola is happily married to him. He does have a lot of downsides as well - which is where I think he differs a lot from Ola.

Bullying was mentioned in the media (and discussed at length on here). IMO, Ola did milk the story - there was no attempt by her to try and play it down, or give an accurate account of what happened. She and James are quick to nip stories in the bud that portray them in a negative light (the 'Ola Is Unhappy With Her Celeb Partner' being the most recent example). Are they OK with inaccurate stories, as long as Ola is portrayed as the innocent party/victim?

I don't 'strongly dislike' Ola. I just dislike her disingenuous behaviour, particularly where the media is concerned.

I thought the BBC made the statement about the incident and both Karen and Ola were instructed to not say anything? I really don't think Ola did milk it and saw no evidence of that at all.

So do I.

Bullying was mentioned, but not about any campaign and there is nothing to tell us where the word first came from. As far as I can see Ola herself never mentioned bullying. The information we have is Karen made a nasty isolated and unprovoked remark to Ola about her dancing and Ola got upset and left the rehearsals. She was photographed leaving the building, as are all the pros/celebs.

Maybe they nip in the bud inaccuracies when they are allowed to without breaking Ola's contract. I would have said that is far more likely given what happened last year with Steve B. Neither Ola or Steve made any comment and that led to James starting his Twitter campaign of thinly veiled comments. He clearly thought Steve should comment on the situation, even though Steve was in a similar situation to Ola. I can just imagine Ola going bananas at James, whilst understanding he was doing it to protect or stand up for her. Life in the Jordan household would have been interesting last series.

I realise I won't change your opinion, but you do come over as disliking Ola and I used the word 'strongly' because of how often you comment about her (and James).

One of the biggest redeeming features for James (to me) is that he clearly adores Ola and she him. I just wish he would remember it whenever he is 2 foot or less from a keyboard and think about how he might be making life a bit less easy for her!

I do think that a couple of series ago James possibly started to believe his hype - and he wouldn't be the first or the last to do that - but it never ends well. Like I said, rightly or wrongly when people start to court the media the perception is then that all stories are coming via an official or semi-official conduit, even if they aren't. It might not be fair, but that's in a way the trade off that's made for the good stuff.