CELEBRITY
INTERVIEW
dancer on Dancing With The Stars.
“He’s done so well, he’s a real all-rounder, but he flew over
to watch me in panto last year and he was terrified! He said
of all the things he’s ever done in his life he was more scared
watching me come out on stage than anything else.
“His wife told me he was actually underneath his chair at
one point. As I did my first line, he popped up and said: 'Oh,
she’s not half bad!' By the end of the show he picked me up
and swung me round - he was so proud of me. It gave me such
confidence because he’s so honest. He’s on me every week on
Strictly. He will FaceTime me and check my hair and make-up,”
she laughs.
Landing such a high-profile job as head judge on Strictly
should have been the icing on Shirley’s career cake, but along
with the fame and accolades came some distressing online
bullying. “When I was new to TV I was reading
Picture courtesy BBC.
“No, I have not tried some of the things people said about me.
Things like: ‘You are so ugly’, ‘You’ve got a chest
a parmo yet. Danny like a Seville orange’ or ‘Crawl back under your
says it’s got five million rock, you need to be fired.’
“You know, it’s really cruel and personal,
calories in it, but no
but because my brother suffered with mental
doubt yes, I will be health illness and he died, I always have that
trying one.”
thought when someone writes something bad.
I ask myself: ‘What place are they in?’ I try to
be the bigger person and write something personal back to
husband) and Corky
them - something kind and supportive.
(Ballas, her second).
“I know Mark would prefer I didn’t read these things at all,
“It’s great. I love it.
but I understand trolling now and take it with a pinch of salt.
Me and Danny stay
If they’re still being awful after two or three chances, I block
in a fabulous hotel
them. Simple.”
here in Darlington
Nasty comments aside, Shirley is in a really happy place
and they are just so
right now and is looking forward to the festive season, being
accommodating. So
on Strictly and performing as Mother Nature in Jack And The
kind and so much
Beanstalk for the people and children of Teesside.
fun and just really nice genuine people.
“I’m so happy to be employed in a job I love,” she admits.
“Danny was in Blood Brothers and he’s been here many times
“I’m used to being busy and there is enough time to rest when
so he drove me round and showed me the sights. There seems
you’re dead, right?
to be an awful lot of places to eat!” she laughs, raising her
“I have to be organised though, as I won’t have much time
eyebrows.
between doing Strictly and the panto, but I’ve already done all
“And, before you ask – no, I have not tried a parmo yet.
Danny says it’s got five million calories in it, but no doubt yes, I my Christmas shopping - I took my mum to the Wedgwood
factory in Stoke and we had a fantastic day. I bought all my gifts
will be trying one.”
for the people at Strictly. I just have to get my cards bought now
Shirley, in fact, lived for two years in Yorkshire as a teenager.
so I can write them out and get them out early.”
“Well, I was born in Wallasey but I’m a bit of a nomad,” she
But what about the lady herself? What would Shirley Ballas
says.
like Father Christmas to bring her this year? Could she be
As well as Yorkshire, she made London, Manchester,
finding an engagement ring under the tree?
Houston, Texas and Los Angeles her home through the years,
“Would I like there to be wedding bells? Here in Darlington
before finally moving back to the UK and finding stardom with
during panto? Now wouldn’t that be spectacular?’ she laughs.
Strictly Come Dancing.
“I am wherever I hang my hat,” she shrugs. “I’m not attached
to materialistic things at all. It didn’t faze me one bit selling
my home in LA. The hardest thing was when my son Mark
decided to live in America to follow a career on Broadway and
Shirley is appearing as Mother Nature in
in Hollywood. He was 22 at the time and I just went with him
Jack and the Beanstalk at the Hippodrome,
because I wasn’t married and thought I might be able to help.
Darlington, from Friday December 6 to
“When I left to come back here - well, all I can say is thank
Sunday January 5.
goodness for FaceTime!”
darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
Mark now lives in California and has found his own fame
Stateside as an actor, musician, choreographer, songwriter and
tees-life.co.uk
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