Mum’s moving in.. she worried about Danny but it’s not about him
Strictly judge Shirley on family life
SHIRLEY Ballas has revealed her 84-year-old mum Audrey Rich is moving into the home she shares with boyfriend Danny Taylor.
The Strictly Come Dancing judge says her mum, who previously had colon cancer, asked if they might live together.
Shirley, 61, says she is thrilled and is not worried about what Danny, 48, will think.
She said: “My mother was diagnosed with cancer about three years ago, which is under control.
“But she’s just informed me, ‘I think I’m ready to move in with you, darling... I have had enough of this housework’.
“She’s very proud at 84. She has a routine. She gets up, those rollers go in, the hair gets quiffed, the make-up goes on...
“And she just said to me, ‘How would you feel about me moving in with you?’.
“She’s been such a huge part of my life. I couldn’t think of anything more exciting.
“She said, ‘I’m a bit worried about what Danny will think’.
“I said, ‘Well, I love him dearly but it’s not about what he thinks – it’s about what you want’.
“I’m honoured she chose not to go into a facility and has chosen to live with me.” And the process of moving has begun. Shirley added: “We are boxing her up, my house looks like a shop. I’ve got more ornaments. Every shoe has a story, every piece of clothing has a story. I said maybe we could give this to Oxfam but ‘no, we have to take it all’.
“We can box my stuff up, we’ll put her stuff on the wall. She can live there happily ever after.”
Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival as she promoted her book Behind the Sequins, Shirley told how Audrey worked multiple jobs after Shirley’s dad walked out when she was two. The cash helped pay for dance lessons as Shirley went on to become a world champion.
She also spoke about the abuse and death threats she gets on social media after dance-offs on the BBC One show. She said: “They say, ‘you’re so fat, you hate younger women’, and if I send a man home, ‘you’re a man hater’. “You can’t win.” Shirley is also in talks for her book to become a musical.
She said: “It’s been picked up for possible Broadway and West End. Watch this space.”
Shirley and actor Danny met when doing panto together in 2018.
● Shirley Ballas – Behind the Sequins is out now in paperback.
She’s been a huge part of my life.. I am honoured
SHIRLEY BALLAS JOY AT WELCOMING MOTHER