Shirley Ballas says that she may never return to TV’s Strictly Come Dancing after online trolls made her life hell. The head judge on the popular TV series said she was shaken by hate jibes and revealed that while talks are ongoing she is yet to sign for a new series.
The Mirror said that Shirley, 62, was left “crying and emotional” by the abuse. The 62-year-old said she was in tears and at “an all-time low” as hate messages poured in after every show in the last series. Irate fans questioned her decisions, accused her of ageism and sexism, and took cruel swipes at her appearance.
Shirley, 62, admitted that while she loves her job, she is hesitant about returning this year after “hugely struggling” with the toll. The BBC are in talks to keep “Queen of Latin” Shirley – loved and revered by millions as the smiling face of Strictly.
In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, the dance champion turned TV expert reveals: “Last year I was struggling. It wasn’t just a little bit, it was a lot – the majority of it was in silence. I felt the abuse snowballed out of control and impacted me in such a negative way. I’m a pretty stoic person, and I tend to hold everything in.
“When it all kicked off, it seemed like it was larger than anything else. I was crying, I was emotional, but I was embarrassed about being so emotional. I didn’t want to talk to anybody about it.
“And that was an all-time low since I joined the show – it was the most negativity I’d ever experienced. The BBC were brilliant, checking in on me and offering counselling and support.”
Shirley replaced Len Goodman as head judge in 2017. Asked if she has considered quitting the show, she replies carefully: “It was a difficult series, I’ll leave it at that.
"After the Strictly tour I decided to take a break from TV and re-focus on my own industry for a while, to protect my sanity. I’m fortunate I have two jobs, running parallel, so it was much easier to take a break from TV and look after myself and my well-being.
“Will I go back to Strictly? I always take one step at a time. I absolutely love the job. If it was just that, and there was nothing else surrounding it, I can’t think of a more rewarding job to do.”
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It was the scale of trolling – one in five messages were hate-filled – and the vitriolic tone which shook Shirley. Many slammed her over her casting vote in the Strictly dance-offs.
Shirley added “At one point I had thousands of messages coming in if I sent someone home. Some of the messages were truly awful. It didn’t matter what I did, I didn’t like old people, I didn’t like young people, I didn’t like men, I didn’t like women. I just felt like no matter what I said, I couldn’t win.
“I’m proud of the fact I can sleep at night when it comes to the judgments I make on dancing. I’ve never regretted sending someone home based on their performance in the dance-off, even if my heart has ached for them, and all the effort they’ve put in.
"Some people did also attack how I looked. But I’ve had husbands in the past who haven’t critiqued me in the best light, so I’ve built a wall around that. I don’t need anyone to say to me, ‘You’ve got thin hair, why are you using extensions, your ears are too big, did you know your nose is crooked, you’ve got a funny eye’. I’m my own worst critic.”
Shirley, who stars alongside fellow Strictly judges Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse, says she has leaned on partner Danny Taylor for support. She and Danny, 49 – an actor and trained dancer – have been together for four years.
“We are still very much in love, care for each other deeply, and we have a good enough relationship where we don’t need to get engaged or married," she said. “The thing I love about Danny is that I can sit down with him, express how I feel, and he just listens and never judges me. That’s a rare quality to find in a man."
She might not have a wedding to plan, but Shirley has plenty of other projects on the go – including her writing. "This year I have the Ballas Cup – an event I’m hosting on May 14 at The Porchester Hall, Bayswater, which will allow dancers from beginner level to professional to compete. I’m hugely excited, it should be a great day.
“I’ve also got a two-part novel series coming out, and I’m working on a project that will give couples who want to learn a wedding dance somewhere to go.”
Murder On The Dance Floor by Shirley Ballas (HQ, £16.99) is out on October 12. For more information on The Ballas Cup see theballascup.com
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