Strictly Come Dancing’s head judge Shirley Ballas joins us for an exclusive conversation about her extraordinary life on and off the dance floor. She also reflects on the loss of her brother David, and why she now campaigns to raise awareness around men’s mental health and suicide prevention.

From her early years on a Merseyside council estate to global fame, Shirley shares the resilience, heartbreak, and lessons that shaped her. She opens up about her family heritage, the bullying she endured through school years and beyond, and the sacrifices she made to rise to the top of the dance world. She speaks candidly about her relationships, turbulent love affairs and lifelong struggles with body image. Shirley also takes us behind the scenes of Strictly Come Dancing - from a “disastrous” first audition to navigating the highs and lows of being on one of the biggest shows on television.

Shirley shares:

◽ How discovering her family heritage reshaped her identity

◽ The bullying that left lasting scars - and how she found strength through dance

◽ Walking away from a marriage at the peak of her career - and the regrets that followed

◽ The pressures of body image in the dance world and her experiences with surgery

◽ The moment her Strictly audition went wrong - and how she turned it around

◽ The toll of online trolling and public criticism as head judge

◽ Why championing men’s mental health is so important to her

◽ What happiness means today

Shirley Ballas, We Need To Talk

If you’re struggling, you don’t have to face it alone. We’ve included support charities below:

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): https://g2ul0.app.link/npaQKXUV4Wb

Samaritans - call on 116 123 or visit https://g2ul0.app.link/xghDmmYV4Wb

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https://www.instagram.com/needtotalk

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Instagram: https://g2ul0.app.link/EGAa8y0V4Wb

TikTok: https://g2ul0.app.link/rAaQ8f3V4Wb

Best Foot Forward: https://g2ul0.app.link/So4hbb5V4Wb

(00:00) Intro

(02:08) Otto and Shirley's Heritage

(06:49) Shirley's Upbringing in the Wirral

(09:15) Shirley's Experience of School

(12:10) How Shirley Became Obsessed with Dance

(15:06) Moving to London at 16

(18:40) Moving to Manchester and Starting Her Latin Dance Career

(22:13) Class in the UK and How It Relates to the Dance Industry

(29:56) How Shirley Met Corky Ballas

(35:46) Does Shirley Regret Leaving Sammy for Corky?

(44:42) Why Shirley and Corky's Relationship Came to an End

(48:16) Tinder Ad

(49:16) Adobe Express Ad

(50:34) How Shirley Came to Be on Strictly Come Dancing

(55:10) The Enduring Popularity of Strictly

(01:00:37) Would Paul Go on Strictly?

(01:01:41) Who Is Shirley's Fantasy Strictly Contestant?

(01:03:05) Who Is the Biggest Surprise During Shirley's Time on Strictly?

(01:04:32) The Importance of Shirley's Brother David to Her Life

(01:14:41) Shirley's Battle With Body Image

(01:22:12) Shirley Reads a Letter to Her Younger Self

(01:25:44) Most Memorable Conversation

(01:31:16) Shirley and Celebs Go Dating

(01:37:38) Paul's Takeaways

Sponsored by:

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Outro

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