Yes! Yes! Yes! I’ll be Strictly judge again
SHIRLEY Ballas has revealed she will remain as head judge on Strictly Come Dancing.
“Yes, yes, yes. I’m definitely coming back. We all are,” she said when asked if she was returning to the panel.
Fellow judges Darcey Bussell, 49, Craig Revel Horwood, 54, and Bruno Tonioli, 63, are returning too, her response confirmed.
The 58-year-old Queen of Latin replaced Len Goodman in 2017 and the new series, kicking off later this year, will be her third.
Shirley hinted she will dance more on this year’s TV show after wowing audiences with her moves on the Strictly Live tour. The show judge, who quit competitive dancing in 1996, has thrilled audiences with her cha-cha-cha.
All the judges do a shimmy with presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman to open the TV show but it looks like Shirley could have a bigger dancing role to show off her skills.
Speaking at the National TV Awards, where she won Best Talent Show for Strictly: “It’s just nice to be able to get my shoes back on again. It was great. I feel very blessed.
“Possibly (I’ll do it on TV) because I think everyone was surprised I could still give it a swing or two. I don’t get nervous doing it.”
Shirley also opened up about her new relationship with actor Daniel Taylor. The pair got together after meeting while starring together in the panto Jack and the Beanstalk at Christmas. Daniel, who at 44 is 14 years younger than Shirley, has swept her off her feet although she says they are letting the romance blossom in its own time.
She added: “Well I have a very good friend right now. He couldn’t be here tonight because he’s putting on a show at the Liverpool Epstein, Macbeth.
“I’m learning all about Macbeth then he tours with Blood Brothers. It’s going very good. He’s a very good friend of mine. We are taking it slowly.”