On this week’s episode of the Radio Times Podcast is the dancer and head judge on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, it is Shirley Ballas. Born and raised in Merseyside, she grew up with her mother and brother on a council estate – and found dance at the age of 7 when a tune caught her ear. She worked her way to the top of the dancing world – and has plenty of stories to tell of her journey. In this episode she talks to Kelly-Anne Taylor about everything from the phone call that changed her life but ended her engagement to Nigel Tiffany to how she was almost bullied out of the dance industry – but instead, landed the Strictly gig.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices