In a display of sheer professional grit, Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas performed live on the BBC's annual Blackpool special just moments after a life-threatening medical emergency. The 63-year-old former Queen of Latin choked on a fishbone backstage, requiring her hair and make-up artist to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre to dislodge it.
A Terrifying Twenty Minutes
Speaking about the incident, Ballas described being unable to breathe for a full twenty minutes, calling the experience "terrifying." She admitted, "I really thought that was it." The dramatic episode occurred on Saturday night before the biggest show of the series, which millions across the country were expected to watch.
Despite the harrowing scare, Ballas made her entrance onto the famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom dancefloor in a metallic ivory gown and gold stilettos, waving to cameras and shimmying her shoulders to the band's music. With a characteristic kick of her leg and flick of her £575 Georgia Hardinge dress skirt, she took her seat at the judges' desk, throwing her head back in laughter, her composure completely intact.
A Year of Personal Challenges
This medical scare is the latest in a series of personal blows Ballas has endured over the past year. Her six-year relationship with actor Danny Taylor, 52, ended in 2024 after he "vanished" on her 64th birthday, an event that triggered traumatic memories of her brother's suicide.
Furthermore, Ballas is the primary carer for her 88-year-old mother, Audrey, who was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2022. The pair live together in Ballas's home in Dulwich, south London, and the judge has openly expressed her fears about leaving her mother to go to work.
"I've been opposite her when she couldn't get a breath and was choking because the airways closed," Ballas told BBC Radio Manchester. She now relies on her personal assistant to look after Audrey and send text updates while she films Strictly.
Defiance in the Face of Adversity
According to a television insider who spoke to the Daily Mail, Ballas's determination is unwavering. "Shirley lives and breathes the Strictly mantra 'keep dancing'", the source said. "There's pretty much nothing that would make her skip an episode of the show."
This resilience extends to handling relentless online trolling. Ballas has previously revealed the extent of the abuse, including receiving death threats. "I've had people draw coffins with me in it," she shared, noting that the vicious comments have "changed my life completely."
Despite the year's heartbreak and health scares, both personal and professional, Shirley Ballas remains defiant. The incident has only spurred her on to take a First Aid course, proving that it will take far more than a fishbone and a barrage of criticism to shake the stalwart judge from her role on the nation's favourite dance show.
