Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has shared a worrying health update with her fans, revealing she suffered a scary accident at home that led to a hospital visit.
A Frightening Accident at Home
The 65-year-old dancer and television personality took to Instagram on Saturday to explain that she had a serious fall. Shirley Ballas fell backwards, striking her head on a glass dressing table. The impact was severe enough to prompt an immediate trip to hospital for a precautionary brain scan.
In her post, she wrote: 'Thank you to all who reached out to see how I'm doing. Scary fall backwards hitting my head on the glass dressing table. Trip to hospital to get a brain scan.' She expressed immense gratitude to her friends, Barbara McColl, for securing an emergency appointment, and to her ex-husband, Sammy Stopford, for taking her and staying with her all day.
Recovery and Gratitude
Fortunately, the medical results brought some relief. The scan revealed no cracked skull, though the judge was left with neck and back pain requiring rest. 'Fortunately for me no cracked skull. I'll rest a few days to heal my neck and back,' she told followers. She added that doctors told her she was 'very lucky' given the nature of the fall.
This health scare comes just hours after the star posted a racy lingerie snap on the same social media platform, showcasing her confident style.
Back on the Dating Scene
In a separate revelation, Shirley has confirmed she is actively back on the dating scene after focusing on caring for her 88-year-old mother, Audrey, following her split from boyfriend Danny Taylor over a year ago. The Strictly head judge admitted, 'I may have had a date or two,' but emphasised she is keeping things casual.
'I know my truth. I know my authentic self, and if I want to go out on a date I will go. Nothing serious. No labels, no tags,' she stated. Her ideal partner would possess humour and intellect. 'I like somebody with some intellect,' she said, also valuing generosity and a well-kept appearance.
However, any new dates will have to wait briefly as Shirley prepares to embark on the 30-show Strictly live arena tour, performing for crowds of over 10,000 people. Between the tour, her teaching work, and home life, she remains cautiously open to romance, noting she is 'very careful' and prefers to know someone for a while before going out.
Shirley Ballas was married to dancer Sammy Stopford in the 1980s and later to her dance partner Corky Ballas from 1985 until 2007. She joined Strictly as head judge in 2017.
