Strictly Come Dancing: Shirley Ballas exit rumours – 'No one knows if she's coming back'
HEAD judge Shirley Ballas has sensationally hinted this series could be her first and last on Strictly Come Dancing.
BBC
The former ballroom dancer, who is known as the Queen of Latin, was drafted in as retiring Len Goodman’s replacement but has endured a torrid start to life on the show.
She has made frequent on-air blunders, even mistaking Good Morning Britain’s Charlotte Hawkins for The Saturdays singer Mollie King, with viewers saying they are finding it hard to warm to her.
Shirley, 57, even admitted her rapid promotion from relatively unknown dance instructor to chief critic on television’s biggest show had been tough.
Now it has emerged BBC bosses have yet to offer her a seat on the panel next year.
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No one knows if she is coming back
And Shirley is non-committal about her future on the show, which finishes later this month, cryptically saying: “Let’s get this series out of the way.”
Publicly she says she has enjoyed her time on Strictly and thinks she has gone down well with viewers, but longs to see her sons who live in America.
Last night a show insider said: “At this stage no one knows if she is coming back. She hasn’t ruled it out, if asked, but she is still waiting.
“If she doesn’t come back she has still got her teaching.”
Bookies reacted to the news by slashing the odds on Shirley lasting only one series alongside fellow judges Darcey Bussell, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli, making it 3/1 she leaves after the final on December 16.
William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said: “Shirley is getting a serious amount of stick and appears to be questioning if it is worth the aggro.”
Gaffe-prone Shirley has alienated viewers with a series of contentious calls.
Viewers were up in arms after she decided to eliminate former JLS star and hot favourite Aston Merrygold instead of Mollie in what was described as the “biggest shock in reality TV history” and immediately sparked accusations of bias.
BBC
Speaking previously, twice-married Shirley said: “Going from being a dance teacher to suddenly being the head judge was a little overwhelming, but it’s amazing and thrilling.
“I have been around for 50 years in this industry, I’ll just be as honest as I can. I am very strict, feisty and fair.
“I want people to do well but I want people to take healthy criticism. It’s a competition and I will be giving my honest opinion.”
Meanwhile, East End born Len, 73, who still judges on the hit US version of Strictly, Dancing With The Stars, said he thought his former pupil was doing a “wonderful job” as his replacement.
BBC
He said: “I’ve known her for all her dancing life. I’ve judged her hundreds of times. Of course I know Shirley.
“It’s always difficult to step in and I’m sure there’s thousands of people saying, ‘Thank God Goodman’s gone and we’ve got lovely Shirley’.
“But I think she’s doing a wonderful job.”
Bookmakers make Mollie the 4/6 favourite to be the tenth celebrity given her marching orders, while former magician’s assistant Debbie McGee, 59, remains the 9/4 favourite to win the competition.
• Strictly Come Dancing returns tomorrow on BBC One at 7.05pm
