Jordan Banjo is best known for his trademark dance moves with Diversity and for waking up the nation on Perri Kiely’s Kiss Breakfast radio show. He enjoys every second while juggling his father’s busy schedule with an exciting new tech collab, but is not in the spotlight.
The 32-year-old presenter and performer, along with his wife Naomi, is feeling the pressure to pull off three children: Cassius, 7, Mayowa, 5, and Atreus (Tre), two. He exclusively tells OK here! about his plans for a triumphant gift-giving game, road trip chaos, and how he wants to outsmart Naomi.
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Hello, Jordan! How do you balance family and date nights with work?
It’s a little difficult, to be honest. It’s nonstop between Perri, Diversity, and the Diversity-related programming. I make the most of the time I have with family. It meant a lot, much like our Easter-themed, unplanned trip to Disneyland. We can have mature conversations as the kids get older. I enjoy chatting with them about their day. My five-year-old complained that her friend had dropped her apple before lunch, and she was stressed. Wow, that’s real stress, I thought.
What has your father’s experience changed you?
Despite my current busy schedule, I only have time for matters that matter to me. I get lucky to pick projects that interest me. Kiss Breakfast has the feel of home. Being a father has made it necessary for me to put things in perspective. It’s important to have a good time at work while maintaining a positive relationship with your partner. That is simple to forget.
Naomi and you have been dating for ten years. What plans do you have for that milestone?
Oh my goodness, I’m stressed out! The pressure is mounting for our 10-year anniversary in September. I bought her a bracelet and ordered a meal together when we were a year apart. I awoke to Polaroids with handwritten notes explaining why she loves me, balloons in the hallway, and handwritten explanations of why. She focuses solely on sentimental matters, which I find difficult to do. Every time, she blows it. So yeah, I might need the kids to start a choir or something for ten years.
Do you and Naomi want any more children?
I’ll be real, and there is no stopping me. I’m already far outnumbered. When I see my friends’ four children, I just want to hug them and give them an escape plan. I’m not joking, either. Three is definitely enough for me.
Do you believe any of them are pursuing their creative endeavors?
I think all three of them have inherited their mum’s rhythm. And when I say that, it’s not a compliment! I love her more than anything in the world, but she’s not a dancer – and that’s fine. I once watched her try to do the candy dance at a party and thought, “Maybe marriage isn’t the best way forward for us!” So I don’t know if they’re dancers. But my daughter – she’s got the one thing you need to be a dancer – confidence. She’ll dance anywhere, anytime. She bangs out these routines – well, she calls them routines – I think it’s just the same dance for 15 minutes, but still!
You gave a 2017 Dancing On Ice backstage presentation. How did it end, in your opinion?
I mean it went downhill when I left [laughs]. It’s such a legendary show. It started years ago, then came back, and when it did, it was a huge deal. If even Dancing On Ice is taking a break, you know TV’s in a weird place. So many new formats and streaming shows with massive budgets – traditional TV’s shifting. It was sad to see it go, but I’m sure something else will come up, maybe one day it’ll come back. Like Gladiators did!
What was Ashley’s opinion of the show’s conclusion?
He spent about seven or eight years using it. I moved to The Greatest Dancer in 2018, and then backstage. In 2020, Perri was first and placed second. Ash’s annual 10- to 12-week stay with that team was his. It’s bound to feel strange when that abruptly stops. He’s alright, despite the fact that some of him was destroyed. He’s not crying into anything or drinking anything.
What is a common misconception about your brother and you?
That we always want to dance. Huge misconception. I’ve done radio interviews where someone’s on the phone like, “Teach us a move.” I’m like, “We’re on the phone!” People assume we’re just constantly ready to bust out dance moves. It’s like expecting Adele to sing every time she shows up!
You and Samsung have a great partnership, right?
I’m very excited. I teamed up with them solely because of the timing. Over Easter, my kids and I took them to Disneyland Paris, and we took a full-on road trip there. I prepared stories, playlists, and snacks. But the children were asking, “Are we there yet?” in 17 minutes, which is how we were staying in Essex. and crying The Galaxy Tab S10 FE is useful in this context. It turned out to be disturbingly good drawing for my daughter when she first started doing it. Better than I am, like. It gave us some peace and savored our boredom. It made the Disney experience more enjoyable.
With the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series, Jordan and Samsung have collaborated to combat road trip boredom.
