Shirley Ballas has defended a pay rise on Strictly Come Dancing - amid criticism from viewers.
All four judges, including head judge Shirley, are back for the new series of the BBC Latin and ballroom show, with The Mirror confirming that Shirley was offered a pay rise to stay on the programme as bosses feared she'd walk after being subjected to trolling during the last series and bosses wanted to do their all to encourage her to stay.
She appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain today to defend her pay rise, insisting the BBC and herself are well aware of the current cost of living climate and made their offers accordingly.
Speaking to Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, she said: "First of all, there was no arguing with the BBC over pay. We're in a cost of living crisis - finances in different homes are very very difficult and all that we're reading...
"It is absolutely not true [that I have a £55,000 rise]. No arguing, it is what it is. The people are vigilant, we are vigilant, the BBC is vigilant. We are going through a crisis, you look at the nurses and all these people who need the pay rises, that's what it is."
Sources confirmed to The Mirror that Shirley would be having a pay rise this year.
A source said: "Shirley had the bosses in a real panic that she might decide to walk and focus on other projects, like her books and dance competition, The Ballas Cup. They pulled out all the stops to offer her a raise.
"Thankfully, it looks like she will accept. The trolling is still very fresh in her mind but she is keen to focus on the positives – and she has hired someone to manage her social media so won’t see the most vicious remarks."
Shirley admitted she hit an "all-time low" after receiving a barrage of abuse online during last year's series.
"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," she told The Mirror.
"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's son Mark and a young man will be helping to manage her socials this time around.
