Ola Jordan, 38, reveals she would have tried for a baby earlier if she knew she would struggle to get pregnant and says 'you have to choose between Strictly or having a family'

Ola Jordan wishes she had tried for a baby earlier after undergoing IVF to welcome daughter Ella.

The former Strictly professional, 38, who shares Ella, 14 months, with husband James Jordan, said she would have prioritised starting a family earlier if she knew she would struggle to fall pregnant.

She told The Sun: 'You don’t think you’re going to have to go through IVF until it doesn’t happen for a long time and you go "right there’s a problem, we need to look into it".'

'So I suppose I would try earlier. But then we had a career, we were doing things, we were busy.  I suppose you’re never ready but I definitely would (have tried earlier) if I knew I was going to struggle to get pregnant.'

Ola said her and James, who wed in 2003, were focused on their careers, saying: 'You have to pick between something like Strictly or having a family, unfortunately.'

The star said she would have been unable to do Strictly - which she starred on from 2006-2015- with a baby as the BBC show is a 'six or seven month' commitment and she did not have anyone to look after her child. 

Ella was conceived after one round of IVF, with Ola and James being incredibly open about their battle to have a child.     

Ola recently opened up about having a second child with her husband James and predicts her next pregnancy will be smoother.

Likening the process to 'an old car', she said: 'As soon as you get it going the first time, it keeps going.'

The blonde beauty also gushed about her and 43-year-old James' 'perfect' daughter Ella.

Speaking to the Sun about her daughter and the IVF process, Ola said: 'We are very lucky it happened for us on the first attempt, and we're extremely blessed to have Ella, she's such a little character.'  

She added: 'There are so many people who go through IVF and it doesn't happen for them. And there are lots of people out there who want a baby and they can't afford it.'

Despite her joy, Ola joked that she's pining for a full night of undisturbed sleep, as Ella has taken to waking up at 3am.   

Last month Ola revealed her daughter has still never met her parents or another child amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

Ola told how her parents, who live in Poland, have been forced to communicate with their granddaughter solely through FaceTime.

She said: 'It's unbelievable to think my mum and dad haven't met my baby girl. It was my hope that my mum would be there to help give me tips with my first baby.

'We talk on the phone - and thank God we have FaceTime - but not being able to have my parents around me when you have a little baby is really quite tough.'