Shirley Ballas, head judge on Strictly Come Dancing for nearly a decade, has exclusively shared her excitement over the new presenting lineup featuring Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe. She believes viewers are in for a 'masterclass' in format innovation.
Shirley's Praise for the New Team
'I think it's absolutely brilliant what the BBC have done,' Ballas said. 'Of course, I've worked with Emma before and she's an absolute star. She's very calm, so beautiful, she keeps everything together. And there's only one Johannes in the whole world. I mean, who wouldn't want him somewhere in that trio?'
Regarding Josh Widdicombe, she admitted: 'I'm not that familiar with Josh, but I met him this week after Good Morning Britain and I've since looked at some of his work. I think it's going to be fresh and interesting.'
Chemistry Behind the Choice
Despite some fan scepticism online, Ballas revealed the real reason behind hiring the comedian. 'Well, apparently the chemistry between Josh and Emma was off the charts. They had chemistry beyond chemistry, so I do trust the process and the producers. They took their time, they didn't rush this decision. I know people are judging before they've even seen the results, but for me, this is a dream team.'
Emma, 50, Johannes, 39, and Josh, 43, also underwent chemistry tests with the judging panel, including Anton DuBeke, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse. Ballas missed these sessions as she was in Australia with her son.
New Professional Dancers
Ballas also confirmed that five new professional dancers have been recruited to replace fan favourites like Karen Hauer and Michelle Tsiakkas. 'Some of them are very young, but they're very experienced. They're going to be fantastic,' she said. She expressed hope that former dancers would find success beyond the show, possibly in judging roles.
Ballas's Health and Future
Despite her degenerative spine condition, Ballas is not planning surgery. 'They'd like to do a back operation on me but I'm still dancing. If they do the operation, it'll be a fusion op and I won't be able to move my spine as a result. So I'm getting by on paracetamol.'
She is currently fronting the One Step Ahead campaign for Abbott's FreeStyle Libre, promoting health technology confidence. On a personal note, Ballas hinted at a new romance but chose to keep details private, saying, 'I do share time with somebody that I'm fond of, but I'm keeping it private this time.'
