Shirley Ballas has revealed that bullying almost drove her to leave the dance industry, just before she was offered a role as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing. The 63-year-old said she was targeted by men 'at the top' while teaching dancers, with couples she trained receiving threats that their careers would be damaged if they worked with her.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs with Lauren Laverne, Ballas attributed the bullying to misogyny, stating that the men involved 'didn't want a woman in any high places'. She expressed her belief that the industry has not improved significantly, adding: 'I still think bullying goes on. There are a lot of great people in my industry, there are a lot of people who want to see people do extremely well. I think we have this handful of misogynistic people with egos that just will not deflate.'
Ballas cited recent examples of bullying, saying she had read 'horrendous messages' sent by professionals to a couple who had competed overseas. She warned: 'It will carry on until it becomes name and shame, and I'm pretty much close to doing that, I'll tell you.'
On the brink of giving up, Ballas was approached by Strictly Come Dancing to replace retiring head judge Len Goodman. She said: 'Fortunately something aligned and I got the job on Strictly. So thank you very much to all the bullies in my industry and you know who you are, and everybody in my industry knows who they are - thank you, because you gave me a platform and a job that I sincerely love and adore.'
Ballas also addressed body shaming, recalling how after having a baby, her teacher said he hated seeing her stretch marks and claimed she 'made people feel physically sick'. She spoke about the death of her brother David, who took his own life in December 2003, and how Christmas became a difficult time. However, she found Strictly's Christmas spirit uplifting and met her boyfriend, actor Danny Taylor, while appearing in a pantomime together. She said he bought her and her mother a tiny Christmas tree, which marked the start of them celebrating Christmas again.
