Shirley Ballas

Shirley Annette Ballas (née Rich, formerly Stopford; born 6 September 1960)[1][2] is an English ballroom dancer, dance teacher, and dance adjudicator. She specialises in the International Latin division, where she won several championship titles which earned her the nickname The Queen of Latin.[3]

Shirley Ballas
Born
Shirley Annette Rich

(1960-09-06) 6 September 1960
Wallasey, England
Occupation(s)Dancer, dance teacher and dance adjudicator
Known forStrictly Come Dancing
Spouses
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(m. 1980; div. 1984)​
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1985; div. 2007)​
    ChildrenMark Ballas

    In 2017, Ballas was appointed head judge on the BBC TV show, Strictly Come Dancing following the departure of Len Goodman.

    Life and dancing career

    Ballas was born and raised in Wallasey, Cheshire (now Merseyside), England, with brother David and mother Audrey. The children's father left the family when Shirley was 2 years old.[2] She began dancing at age 7, and began performing competitively the following years.[2][4]

    At 15, Ballas moved to North Yorkshire to partner British Ballroom Champion Nigel Tiffany, which she described as "a difficult time".[2] Two years later, she moved with Tiffany to London, where their partnership ended after dance teacher Nina Hunt convinced her to audition to partner with dancer Sammy Stopford.[2] The two married when Ballas was 18, with the relationship ending five years later.[2] As dance partners, their best result was winning Professional Latin at Blackpool Dance Festival in 1983.[5]

    In 1985, she married Corky Ballas.[2] Together their best results were winning Professional Latin at Blackpool Dance Festival in 1995[6] and 1996[7] The pair moved to Houston, Texas to compete in the US. Their only child, professional ballroom dancer Mark Ballas, was born in 1986.[2] The couple later divorced in 2007.[8][9]

    Ballas stopped competing in dance competitions in 1996, becoming a dance coach and judge for ballroom and Latin American competitions.[10]

    Television career

    Dancing with the Stars

    Ballas has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, giving master classes and commentating on the show.[11]

    Strictly Come Dancing

    On 9 May 2017, it was announced that Ballas would be joining the judging panel of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One, replacing Len Goodman as head judge. She made her first appearance on the panel four months later - at the launch show of series 15 on 9 September that year.[12]

    Filmography
    Year Title Role Notes
    2017–present Strictly Come Dancing Head judge Series 15–present
    2018 Loose Women Guest panelist
    2018 Who Do You Think You Are? Participant
    2019 Our School Summer Narrator
    2020 The Great British Sewing Bee Participant
    2020 The Wheel Celebrity expert
    2021 Taskmaster Participant Winner
    2021 Saturday Kitchen Participant

    Books
    • Behind the Sequins: My Life (BBC Books, October 2020) ISBN 9781785945113
    • Murder on the Dance Floor (HQ Books, October 2023) ISBN 9780008558000

    References
    1. England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2005 — Name: Shirley A Rich; Mother's Maiden Surname: Standring; Date of Registration:Oct-Nov-Dec 1960; Registration district: Wallasey; Inferred County: Derbyshire; Volume Number: 10a; Page Number: 852
    2. "Shirley's History: Setting the Record Straight". Shirley Ballas official site. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010.
    3. "Welcome 'The Queen of Latin' Shirley Ballas, to our judging panel". BBC One. 9 May 2017. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
    4. Groome, Imogen (9 May 2017). "Who is new Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas?". Metro. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
    5. "DancesportInfo.net".
    6. "DancesportInfo.net".
    7. "DancesportInfo.net".
    8. McCormack, Kirsty (2021-08-03). "Shirley Ballas' ex-husband Corky told her she wasn't 'entitled' to his surname". The Mirror. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
    9. "Strictly's Shirley Ballas reunites with ex-husband Corky for this special reason". HELLO!. 2022-11-24. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
    10. "Strictly Come Dancing's new head judge - who is Shirley Ballas? | Press and Journal". Press and Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
    11. "Who is the new Strictly Come Dancing judge?". BBC News. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
    12. Ballas, Shirley (9 May 2017). "Shirley Ballas on Twitter: "I am so excited and over the moon to announce that I will be joining the judging panel on @BBCstrictly!". Twitter. Retrieved 9 May 2017.


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