James Jordan had an emotional day to mark on Thursday, as it would have been his late father Allan's birthday. Marking the day, the former professional dancer shared a photo of his father holding Ella when she was still a baby.
In the touching snap, Allan was beaming with delight as he cradled his young granddaughter who was sweetly napping and all swaddled up in a white onesie. James also shared a video where Allan lightly tickled Ella's tummy with the pair giggling away, and one where he was with James at a beachside bar, enjoying some drinks.
Paying tribute to his father, James also admitted how Ella "breaks his heart" with questions about Allan. "Happy Birthday dad," he said. "I miss you everyday - Ella is often asking where her grandad is and I tell her you are with the angels looking down on us. Still breaks my heart. Love you dad."
Allan sadly passed away in 2021 following a battle with a terminal brain tumour, that was diagnosed in 2020. Sharing the news of his passing, James said: "My dad became an angel at 8:05am. I will forever miss him. My dad will always be my HERO. RIP daddy."
James was supported by fans following his latest post, as one penned: "Lost my dad to the same horrible circumstances 2 years ago. It’s an illness that really needs more research to find a cure. Thoughts are with you."
A second added: "Thinking of you. It doesn't get any easier they say in time it does," while a third said: "Happy heavenly birthday wishes to your lovely Dad thinking of you and your lovely family today," while a fourth commented: "We're in the 'first' year of everything. It would have been my dad's 80th 2 weeks ago. We feel your pain. Your heart breaks everyday."
The poignant anniversary comes as the family prepare for some home renovations, with James and Ola having shared photos of their living room covered in dust sheets as they prepare for some painting work.
Speaking about how Ella enjoys their home, James previously shared: "She also loves the playroom. She's got her own room with her toys in to play. In our last big house, she played in the lounge. We don't really have any toys in our lounge now. We used to have a ball pit and trampoline in there! Now the trampoline is outside, and the ball pit is at the rubbish dump."
In another interview with HELLO!, James explained they've struck the perfect balance with their new-build pad. "It's half the size of our last house but it's still nice. It's a five-bedroom house but it's not like a celebrity pad. We've downsized for a reason though – to have less stress in our lives," the dancer revealed.
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