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Exclusive: James Jordan opens up about 'emotional and tough' day with daughter Ella

Professional dancers James and Ola discuss their week in HELLO!'s parenting column

Parenting Editor
January 20, 2023

It's been another busy week for the Jordan household, with former Strictly Come Dancing stars James and Ola taking care of their daughter Ella, age two, who has been under the weather.

They've all had a tough time of it lately with Ella's health and things reached a scary point at the weekend with Ella needing steroid treatment.

In their exclusive column below, read about how James coped while Ola was away filming an advert – he admits he struggled with his daughter so unwell. Plus find out the issue with Ella's haircut…

WATCH: Ella's fun day out with mum

Ella's been a poorly girl

Ella: Hello!!!

HELLO!: Hi Ella, how are you doing?

Ella: How are you?

HELLO!: We're good thank you, how are you?

Ella: I'm good thank you.

HELLO!: Are you feeling better now? You weren't very well, were you?

Ella: No. I've got a cough.

HELLO!: Oh dear poor you. Are you taking some medicine?

Ella: Yeah. Ola: She's on antibiotics

James: They're more for her ear infection because she's still got that too apparently. But her cough got so bad that one night we didn't sleep at all, did we Ola? We had to keep her upright all night. It was the worst cough ever – so we took her to the doctors and they said it was quite bad croup. They gave her a steroid which she took two days running, which helped massively but it's just lingering.

MORE: Strictly's Ola Jordan shares funny throwback pregnancy message with fans

Ella went shopping with mum when she felt better

Ella: I want to speak!

James: You want to speak? Ok then.

Ella: I had to take pills. Pink ones.

James: She remembers that the steroids were little pink pills that dissolved in water. The steroid helped with her breathing. At night she was choking. It was awful. And she takes her antibiotics with yoghurt so it tastes nicer.

Ola: We worked out a way of giving it to her that she enjoys. But it's frustrating because she's not enjoying her nursery and she's had to stay off.

James: She's been ill for a long time now; I feel sorry for her. I've lost my voice as well now, which Ola's very happy about! It's the lack of sleep and being run down. It's exhausting. I'm sure every parent knows what you're going through when you have those sleepless nights. You're stressing about your child and watching them, and you feel helpless.

Ola: I worked at the weekend but poor daddy had a horrendous day with Ella.

James: On Saturday and Sunday Ola was shooting an advert but that was the day when Ella was really ill and throwing up. I'm not going to lie – I hold my hands up, I really struggled to cope without Ola. I get quite emotional that I can't do anything for Ella and I start panicking, so I did have a really rough day.

Luckily we got seen at the doctors and they gave her the steroids. Thank goodness it calmed down after about six hours.

We're always talking about how sick Ella is in this column and I'm tired of it, but unfortunately, she's quite a sickly child. I'm hoping being ill is building up her immunity.

MORE: Exclusive: James and Ola Jordan reveal exciting family news with toddler Ella

Ola's passport problem

Ola: All we want to do is go on holiday – but guess what, mummy's passport runs out soon so mummy can't go anywhere. Trying to do my passport in the Polish embassy is almost impossible. I'm stressing now that I won't be able to go anywhere or do anything.

James: So we're calling to all HELLO! readers, if there's anyone who can help us get Ola's passport sorted, that would be great!! We can't book it online or on the phone or get an appointment.

Ola: Someone said it's easier to get British citizenship than get a Polish passport in London – so mummy's going to have to study isn't she.

James: That 'Life in UK' test, I've tried to pass that many times and I can't pass it. I know my general knowledge isn't brilliant because I'm a dancer, but I guarantee you 90 per cent of the population would fail the test.

Ola: That's my moan for today. We've got our 20-year wedding anniversary later this year and we'd love to go away for that.

Ella catches her finger in the phone stand and there are lots of tears…

Ola: Oh dear, Ella tried to put her plastic phone in the phone stand but she caught her finger. Aw, kiss it better Ella.

LOOK: Exclusive: James and Ola Jordan's incredible six stone weight loss transformation revealed

Ella asleep in the car with Ola

Ella's haircut dilemma

Ola: A while back we took Ella to a hairdresser but she had an absolute meltdown so we couldn't cut her hair.

James: I'm a bit different with things like that because I don't feel sorry for her when she's kicking off like that over a haircut. I said: 'Let me hold her, you cut it,' but Ola wouldn't let me. I was just going to bear hug her!

Ola: She was screaming like someone was ripping her skin off. She had it cut once before when she was much younger and she looked at a phone but she's more aware now.

James: We've got a friend who used to cut hair. I think she should come round our house and do it, rather than going to the hairdressers, and Ella likes her.

Ola: Her hair is really long now which is beautiful but she also doesn’t let me brush it, do you Ella?

Ella: No.

Ola: Well we do brush it but she says things like, 'You pulled my hair, you hurt me'. We get all that now.

Time for a haircut!

James: She's a proper madam.

Ella: I'm not a madam! You're a madam!

James: I'm the boss.

Ella: No, I'm the boss.

Ola: She is the boss – she's taken over. See I would have gone for it and cut her hair myself but I know James wouldn't let me.

James: You cut it? No! Get a professional to cut it.

Ola: Oh, what do they know?! (laughs)

HELLO!: James, do you know how to do a ponytail with Ella's hair?

Ola: He does. Actually, he does a good ponytail. He wasn't good in the beginning but I've started to let him do it more often and he's doing a good job.

James: I was scared I was going to hurt her but now I can do it. I don't think I could do a plait though. I don't have the patience for it, do I?

Ola: No you don't!

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