Ashley and Jordan Banjo reveal why they would never do Strictly Come Dancing
EXCLUSIVE: They're prepared to miss out.
The Banjo brothers, Ashley, 37, and Jordan, 33, are exactly how you might expect them to be – warm, funny, and enthusiastic. This energy comes across in spades despite them being two of the hardest-working celebrities going and both having already chalked up a hugely busy first half of 2026. Ashley has just finished an almost 100-date tour with Diversity, and Jordan only wrapped up filming Celebrity Apprentice a few days before our interview. Now, they’re launching a brand new social-first show called Winnrz Wednesday, where shoppers can buy and win incredible prizes — it’s exhausting just thinking about how hectic their schedules are.
Since winning Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, the brothers have cemented their status as celebrities, taking part in a string of shows, including Dancing on Ice, The Void, I’m A Celebrity, and more. However, there’s one reality programme they’re both adamant they would never go on.
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Following the news that presenting legend Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe have been named as the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing, it seems the perfect time for the lads to sign up to compete. After all, they’re already dancers, albeit a different kind.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Express, Jordan revealed, “I think we’d be awful. I remember one time, I worked with Oti (Mabuse) [on BBC’s The Greatest Dancer], and we decided to do a bit of content; they were going to film us doing a workshop with Oti, you know, see how I do with different styles.
“Obviously, I said ‘OK’, I’ve done street dance, that sort of choreography our whole lives, and I was trying to explain to Oti even the way we hold ourselves, everything's literally the opposite to ballroom, it’s sort of unlearning to relearn.
“She told me not to be silly and that I would be fine. Five minutes in, she looks at me and says, ‘Wow, you really are awful at this!’ She wouldn’t lie to me; she told me the truth. Clearly! I really struggled with Latin and ballroom [dancing].”
Dancing aside, Jordan’s latest foray into the world of business for Celebrity Apprentice has taught him a few things, the main being not to piss off Lord Alan Sugar. He explained, “You'd better call him Lord Sugar, otherwise you’re going to get kicked out sharpish. I think I called Karen (Brady), Karen, once, and from then on it was ‘Barroness Brady’. It was super intense. I would say by far the hardest show I've done. Celebrity Apprentice was difficult; there's a lot of pressure because everybody wants to do really well, you know, you’re competing for £100k for your charity as well, which puts more pressure on.
“With Apprentice, it's difficult because everyone is supporting each other in the team, but, you know, you know, the deal, if you've watched a show, if you lose, you then end up in the boardroom, and then everyone sort of has to talk about who did what wrong and what should have happened and whose fault it is. There's just a lot of pressure to get stuff right.
“I actually really enjoyed the experience, and I can't believe I can say this, I'm now officially good friends with people like Kay Burley. I never thought Jordan Banjo and Kay Burley would be a duo you’d see together.
“I’ve made some really good mates from here. Everyone's cool, but I think everyone would say the same thing – it's super intense, really rewarding, but it's a lot.”
