Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas, 66, has been criticised by the ex-fiancée of her rumoured new partner, Italian dancer Giuseppe Nonnis, 36. The pair sparked speculation after being photographed cuddling on a park bench during a dog walk and attending Mamma Mia! The Party together to mark her recent birthday.
The couple have also worked together and shared Latin dance clips on Instagram to promote a dance camp. Neither party has commented on the romance speculation, but his ex Dasha Chesnokova, 38, who was engaged to him for four years, has said it would be "the ultimate betrayal" if they have got together.
Mentor relationship revealed
BBC star Shirley was previously Dasha's mentor, and Dasha revealed she was the one who introduced the pair. She felt so close to the dance legend after a two-decade working relationship that she confided in her when her relationship hit problems.
Speaking to the Sun on Sunday she said: "I have looked up to [Shirley] for years.... If they were together I would be so hurt.
"She's a mature woman and I'm a young girl compared to her. She's known me a long time and has been like a dance mum to me.
"It would be like your mum taking your boyfriend. She knew how much we loved each other so to be with him romantically would be the ultimate betrayal."
Claims of living arrangement
She claims she was first asked if something was going on between the pair as far back as April, saying lots of dancers were asking if he had moved in with her. She acknowledged he does stay with her but said he is not living with the star.
Dasha first met Shirley in 2008 when the Ukrainian arrived in the US with her Dancing with the Stars partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy. She says she quickly became her mentor and also supported her through her break-up with her husband Stefano Di Filippo, who she married in 2016.
Previous relationship
Shirley is believed to have been single since she split from her fiancé, actor Danny Taylor, in November 2024 after six years together. She later revealed the breaking point came around her 64th birthday in September 2024, when he temporarily "vanished" and was uncontactable. This triggered painful emotions regarding her brother's past suicide, leading her to end the romance.
