Is Shirley waltzing off Strictly after one series?
WHEN she was given one of the most sought-after jobs in showbiz, it was assumed she would stay for years.
But Strictly Come Dancing’s new head judge Shirley Ballas has refused to commit to staying beyond this series, insisting a year would not be ‘too short’.
The 57-year-old ex-professional dancer, who has been criticised by fans for her controversial decisions and use of technical terms, hinted she could walk away at the end of this year.
The BBC would face embarrassment if she were to quit, having chosen her above Strictly stalwarts such as Anton du Beke and Brendan Cole.
Appearing at a BBC Christmas party this week, Mrs Ballas – who replaced Len Goodman – was non-committal about her future on the show and said ‘let’s get this series out of the way’. While she said she had ‘enjoyed’ the show this year, she expressed her sadness at ex-husband Corky Ballas giving an explosive newspaper interview about her and said she ‘missed’ her sons, who live in the US. She added: ‘I was not expecting that [interview]. I have lost family over this, so I have to figure out what is more important.’
When it was put to her that one series would be too short a stay, she disagreed and said ‘I did it for the experi- ence’. And the only 2018 work she could confirm was working in ‘my industry’, clarifying she meant ‘coaching professional dancers’, including Strictly pro AJ Pritchard.
It is thought the BBC is keen to sign Mrs Ballas up for future seasons as the series has again trounced The X Factor in the ratings battles. It would also be the shortest stint for a judge in the show’s history, with former stars Alesha Dixon, Arlene Phillips and Goodman staying for three, five and 12 series respectively.
Yesterday, Goodman, 73, told ITV’s Lorraine: ‘I’ve known her for all her dancing life. Of course I know Shirley. It’s always difficult to step in and I’m sure there’s thousands of people saying, “Thank God Goodman’s gone and we’ve got lovely Shirley”. But I think she’s doing a wonderful job.’
‘Must figure out what’s more important’