Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has offered a rare glimpse into her romantic history, revealing details about a former boyfriend who owned two Chow Chow dogs. The 62-year-old dancer shared the anecdote during an appearance on Michael McIntyre's BBC game show The Wheel.
When host Michael McIntyre asked how she managed to answer a difficult question correctly, Ballas explained that her ex-boyfriend's dogs had taught her something. 'I had a boyfriend with two Chow Chows,' she said. 'They would sit with their heads turned away from you and they were very, very quiet. They’re huge, they’re very, very furry - they’re like a human.'
McIntyre pressed for more details about the man, and Ballas described him as 'a lovely, short Italian man' who was 'very, very nice.' The host joked that the man sounded 'too short' for her. Ballas added that the relationship ended, but she still adored the dogs: 'He left but his Chow Chow’s were gorgeous, I loved his Chow Chows.'
The revelation comes after Ballas recently spoke about the end of her six-year engagement to actor Danny Taylor, 51. She said that events on her 64th birthday led to the split, after Taylor's family contacted her to say he had 'vanished' and his phone was off. Ballas, whose brother died by suicide at 44 in 2003, said the incident triggered traumatic memories. Taylor returned the next day 'as though nothing had happened,' prompting Ballas to end the relationship for the sake of herself and her mother.
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday at 6.55pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
