Cruel trolls target Strictly judge Shirley
SHIRLEY Ballas hit back at trolls yesterday who accused her of a hate campaign against Strictly Come Dancing contestant Faye Tozer after scoring her jive with an eight.
Scores of viewers took to social media, branding the judge “blind” and “delusional” for giving the Steps star, 42, the same score as Graeme Swann, 39, for his salsa.
One fan moaned: “The look on Shirley's face when she's talking to Faye full stop! I'm pretty sure she'd look happier chewing a wasp.”
Others agreed it was time to bring back a “proper, unbiased judge” in the form of Len Goodman.
Ballas, 58, in her second series as head judge, was also blasted for not saving Danny John-Jules with her casting vote following his dance-off with Swann. “Damn you Shirley!” one fan wrote. “Danny was waaaay better.”
Ballas responded with a message from American positivity guru Lori Deschene. She wrote: “After all the negative people and such nasty disgusting comments I received, I post this for anyone out there who has to deal with nasty people. Be kind caring and loving. I live by that. HATE is an awful trait.”
John-Jules, 58, dodged an interview last night after his elimination on Sunday amid “bullying” claims. The Red Dwarf actor is said to have claimed: “I should have won” and called the judges “imbeciles” at the after-show party.
It is reported he says he is “done” with the BBC series.
It was left to his dance partner Amy Dowden, 27, to talk to It Takes Two host Zoe Ball, who told viewers “Danny had chosen not to join” them.
Making no reference to the stories that John-Jules reduced her to tears in rehearsals, Dowden said: “I'm so proud of Danny and watching his journey...he is such a talented performer and belongs on the stage.”
A source said: “Danny thinks that there was a smear campaign against him started by Amy.
“He blames her for speaking out to Strictly bosses and thinks he would've sailed to the final without the attention the story brought.”