Shirley Ballas has been a regular fixture on our TV screens for several years now, but what do we know about her life away from the BBC show?
She’s been gracing our telly screens for years, and most will recognise Shirley Ballas as the head judge on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The 64 year old professional dancer is back on the panel for the latest series of the iconic BBC show, joining Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood in their quest to crown the next Glitterball trophy winner.
As we welcome her back to our telly for another round of Strictly, here we take a deep dive into Shirley’s life away the BBC One dance show, including her marriages, illustrious dance career and family tragedy….
Early years
Born Shirley Annette Rich in 1960 and brought up in Wallasey, she was raised by her mum Audrey and brother David after her dad left when she was just two, reports Wales Online.
Shirley began dancing at seven and quickly started competing. At 15, she moved to Shipley in West Yorkshire to live with the family of her new partner Nigel Tiffany, a British Ballroom Champion.
Two years on, she and Nigel moved to London, but their partnership ended when Shirley was convinced to audition to partner with Sammy Stopford.
Shirley hung up her competitive dancing shoes in 1996.
TV career
Shirley launched her TV career in 2017 when she joined the judging panel of Strictly Come Dancing, stepping into Len Goodman’s shoes as Head Judge on the BBC dance show.
She has also appeared on Dancing with the Stars, offering master classes and providing commentary on the popular show.
During 2024, Shirley appeared on The Masked Singer, performing as the character Rat before being eliminated in the third episode.
She’s also featured on Who Do You Think You Are?, The Great British Sewing Bee, The Wheel, Taskmaster and Celebrity Bear Hunt.
Family tragedy
Shirley’s world was shattered in 2003 when her brother David tragically took his own life aged 44. The television personality was left “absolutely devastated” by the loss.
Since then, she’s championed the mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably, known as CALM. During 2023, Shirley tackled the zip wire challenge at Zip World and organised additional fundraising stunts, including a 700-ft wing walk, to support the cause.
Relationships
Shirley’s initial marriage was to ballroom dancer and instructor Sammy Stopford. The pair wed in 1980 when Shirley was just 18, with their union lasting five years.
Shirley remarried in 1985 to American ballroom dancer Corky Ballas. The couple performed in dance competitions as partners and even moved to Houston, Texas to compete stateside.
Shirley gave birth to her first child, Mark, with Corky in 1986, whose full name is Mark Alexander. Their son inherited their passion for dance and became a professional performer, recognised for his appearances on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.
Shirley and Corky’s marriage ended in divorce in 2007. She subsequently had a relationship with actor Danny Taylor, with the couple becoming engaged at one stage.
However, towards the end of 2024 it emerged that Danny and Shirley had called time on their six-year relationship.
Shirley had previously disclosed that she’d had a change of heart about walking down the aisle for a third time after experiencing two failed marriages.
Stalker ordeal
In February 2025, a 37 year old man admitted guilt to stalking Shirley and causing her “serious harm or distress” spanning from August 2017 through to November 2023, during proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court.
Reports indicated that the individual’s behaviour had a “substantial adverse effect” on Shirley’s daily routine, forcing her to beef up her security measures, move her mother to different accommodation and reshape her social and professional commitments.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturday on BBC One.
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