Shirley Ballas 'feels grateful' as she confirms future on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing
Shirley Ballas has been a judge on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing since she replaced Len Goodman as head judge in 2017.
Shirley Ballas has given a career update as Strictly Come Dancing has been confirmed for another series. The BBC One show is set to return this autumn with Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman at the helm.
The judging panel will remain the same with Shirley Ballas as head judge alongside Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel-Horwood and Anton Du Beke. Shirley took to her social media after the news was confirmed to share her thanks to the show and her fans.
She said she was "grateful" and that being on the show was "a real honour". The BBC judge shared a collection of images from her time on the show, since joining as Len Goodman's replacement back in 2017, to her Instagram account.
The 63-year-old dancer wrote: "Feeling very grateful to be returning for my 8th series as Head Judge on @bbcstrictly???????????? I cannot wait to be back behind the desk with my fellow judges @motsimabuse @craigrevel @mrantondubeke … 8 series later and I still get all excited when Strictly season comes around.
"I’m blessed each year when I’m asked back. It’s a real honour to be part of a show that brings joy to so many families across those dark nights."
Shirley asked her fans for their input, as she added: "Are you all looking forward to the new series? Who would you like to see put on their dancing shoes? Ahhh it’ll sure be very exciting and full of surprises as we celebrate 20 years of the best show on TV. Hold onto your hats."
Her Strictly co-stars rushed to celebrate her good news in the comments. Fellow judge Craig posted a couple of dancing emojis, as Shirley replied: "See you soon!"
Amy Dowden, who missed competing last year due to a cancer diagnosis, wrote: "Wooohoooo xxx". Jowita Przystal said: "See you soon". Meanwhile, Gorka Marquez and Vito Coppola posted some love hearts and clapping hand emojis.
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Shirley previously opened up about nearly quitting Strictly Come Dancing due to the abuse she received from trolls in 2022, when she said things reached an “all-time low”. Speaking to the Times, the dancer said that she had been left in tears after every show due to being on the receiving end of “the most negativity” she had ever had.
At the time she said: "Some of the messages were so cruel. Just, how ugly you are and how fat you are, and how you’ve got horrible arms, and, ‘You don’t like men. You don’t like women. You don’t like Black men. You don’t like Black women.’ And then once it starts steamrolling, it goes even further, and then it gets personal, about your being, how you look.”
In a statement released on Monday (June 10), the BBC also confirmed the 2024 professional dancers are Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola.
